Midnight Song
by Angelprinczess
Summary: AU Squinoa Rinoa Heartilly had a fairly normal life, up until the night her tutor was attacked. Now, with someone possibly out for her life, and a mysterious new tutor on her hands, what will become of her?
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII, its characters, or anything associated with it in any way, shape, or form.

Author's Note: Well, it looks like I'm back. I'm not sure what the rules are for writing author's notes now, so I'll keep this pretty simple. For a more detailed explanation of why I've decided to come back to writing fanfiction, please see my profile. Anyway, I know this is short, but it's just the prologue, so please bear with me. The first chapter will probably be up sometime next week to make up for the lack of content in this one. I certainly hope you enjoy this!

Midnight Song

Prologue

It was a cold and rainy night in Deling City. The wind howled furiously, driving the torrential downpour into multiple directions. No sane person would want to be out in such weather, but Clarissa Sheridan didn't have a choice. She opened the door of the Caraway Mansion cautiously, umbrella in hand. If she hadn't been so superstitious, she would have opened it right then, but if her mother had taught her anything, it was to never open an umbrella indoors. Clarissa sighed and thrust the door open fully. She was immediately hit with a blast of cold water, chilling her to the bone. A struggle instantly ensued between herself and the arm of the umbrella, which finally resulted in her as the winner. After taking a few steps, however, she realized how completely useless the umbrella was going to be.

She silently cursed her independence. Would it have been so bad to accept the Caraways' offer to spend the night? _Yes_, she kept telling herself, _It would have. _It was nobody's fault but her own that she had lost track of the time. She had just been so excited that Rinoa seemed to have a genuine interest in the literature they had been discussing. Clarissa suddenly smiled to herself, despite the rain. She couldn't have asked for a more promising student.

Clarissa's smile vanished as a bolt of lightening pierced the sky. She would feel a lot better once she made it home. That thought brought her to her real reason for braving the storm; she was anxious to see her husband. Zell was a sweet man, but she knew he worried about her. He hadn't even wanted her to work, but when she had made him understand how important tutoring was to her, he had backed off. She knew that he felt it was a man's job to support his family, but he also completely respected her input, which was part of the reason why she loved him so much.

She willed her feet to move faster as she turned down a back alley. Zell had repeatedly warned her not to take the shortcut, but on a night like this, she doubted that she had anything to worry about. Besides, even Zell couldn't object to something that would shorten her time in the storm. Clarissa shivered once more, longing for the warmth of her fireplace and the comfort of Zell's arms. _Soon_, she told herself. _It's just a little further._

Clarissa stopped suddenly. She could just make out a shadowed figure in the distance through the rain. A jolt of fear ripped through her, and she felt herself clutching her umbrella in self-defense. She quickly brushed her dark brown hair out of her eyes, hoping to gain a better view of the stranger. It was a fruitless effort; the rain was coming down much too hard. It could be anyone, but...not many people would be out at this time on a night like this. Clarissa took a cautious step back, and was met face to face with the barrel of a gun.

"Don't move," the cloaked figure hissed. "If you value your life, you'll do as I say."

"W-who are you?" Clarissa whimpered.

"That is none of your concern. Where were you off to on a night like this?"

"Why does it matter?" Clarissa cried. "What do you want with me?"

"Quiet," the stranger growled. "Keep still. I promise that this will be painless."

"Echo, what's the delay here?"

Clarissa could just make out another cloaked figure in the distance. She couldn't help noticing that this voice seemed distinctly female.

"Dammit, Thorn, will you just relax? Mistress will be displeased if we bring her the wrong girl." The one with the gun, Echo, said.

"Then run the damn test already! We don't have all night, and I'm sick of getting wet," Thorn complained.

Echo nodded and pulled an object from his pocket, keeping the gun trained on Clarissa all the while. The man was murmuring something under his breath, but the words were indecipherable over the pounding of the rain. The object suddenly glowed a faint red, eliciting a curse from the female.

"This is a waste of time. She's not the girl we're looking for," Thorn snapped. "Let's go."

"What should I do with _her_?" Echo asked, motioning toward Clarissa with the gun.

"You know the drill. Kill her."

Echo smirked. "My pleasure." He aimed the gun at Clarissa's chest. "You're kind of cute, sweetheart. Too bad we couldn't have had some fun." His finger pushed down on the trigger, and Clarissa braced herself for the worst.

"Hey!" a voice suddenly cried out. "What's going on here!"

_Bang_, the gun went off, followed by a string of curses. "I missed, dammit! The bitch is still alive."

"Forget it, Echo, we've got company. You've wounded her, right? If we're lucky, she'll bleed to death. We need to get out of here now."

"But, Thorn-"

"_Now_, Echo." Thorn's voice didn't leave room for any argument.

With a growl of frustration, Echo took off after Thorn into the depths of the night, leaving Clarissa to bleed in the pouring rain.


	2. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, guys!

Midnight Song

Chapter One

"**_I see the parts but not the whole  
I study saints and scholars both  
No perfect plan unfurls  
Do I trust my heart or just my mind  
Why is truth so hard to find in this world..."_**

_**-"Stare At the Sun" Thrice**_

"MISS Rinoa? Miss Rinoa, please wake up. Your father wants to see you."

Rinoa Heartilly groaned and reluctantly opened her eyes. Rolling onto her back, she was faced with the sight of Nancy, the maid. Right now, she was scowling down at Rinoa and looking altogether unhappy.

"Did I oversleep?" Rinoa asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Nancy nodded. "You'd best be getting up. As I said, your father wants to see you. He's waiting in his study."

Rinoa frowned. "Any idea what he wants to see me about?"

"No, the General doesn't tell me anything," Nancy said, still wearing that scowl. "I'll leave you to get dressed, but I would hurry if I were you. You know how your father hates to be kept waiting."

The second the door closed, Rinoa rolled her eyes. Nancy meant well, but she could sure be a grump sometimes. Still, she had been with the family since Rinoa was born; almost eighteen years now. She had had to put up with a lot from both Rinoa and her father over the years, and Rinoa really did appreciate all that she did. Besides, ever since her mother had died, the closest matronly figure in Rinoa's life was Nancy. After all that Nancy had done for her, Rinoa could put up with a little grumpiness.

With a sigh, Rinoa climbed out of bed and grabbed the dress that Nancy had laid out for her the night before. It was a simple number, made of a deep brown fabric that matched her eyes. Still, she abhorred the fact that her father still made her play the part of "the General's elegant daughter." It seemed like she couldn't even be comfortable in her own home anymore. At least she didn't have to get dressed up during her tutoring sessions. Rinoa still didn't know how Clarissa had been able to convince the General to allow her to dress casually during her lessons, but she had. Knowing Clarissa, she had probably fed him something about women needing to be comfortable while studying.

Smiling briefly at that thought, Rinoa quickly finished getting dressed and freshening up. As she exited her bedroom and made her way downstairs, she once again wondered why her father wanted to see her. Had she done anything improper lately? She mentally went through a list of everything she had done in the past week and could not think of a single thing she could have done to offend him. Well, unless he had found out about Seifer. Rinoa froze as that thought entered her mind. How could he have found out, though? They had been extremely careful to hide their relationship, and hardly made any public appearances together. In fact, the majority of their conversations transpired through letters exchanged between the two of them, by secret means, of course. When Clarissa had found out about Rinoa's feelings for Seifer, she had immediately offered to act as a go-between and personally delivered Seifer's letters to Rinoa during their tutoring sessions. Rinoa knew that Clarissa would never tell the General about her and Seifer, so if he did in fact know, he had had to obtain the information through other means.

With that thought in mind, Rinoa took a deep breath and stepped into her father's study. General Fury Caraway looked up from behind his desk as Rinoa entered the room. "You're late," he commented stiffly. "I asked Nancy to call you a good twenty minutes ago."

Rinoa shrugged. "I had to get dressed."

"Very well," Caraway replied reluctantly. "Have a seat."

_Have a seat? _Rinoa thought to herself. _I live here, too! _Biting back a retort, Rinoa seated herself in a chair by the desk. "So what's so important that I had to be summoned here?"

"Rinoa, I am afraid that I have some...unsettling news."

The raven haired beauty looked up sharply at the tone in his voice, a sense of foreboding washing over her. The last time she had heard a tone of voice even remotely related to the one he had just used was on the morning she had found out that her mother had been killed in a car accident. She had barely been five then, but even at that young age she knew what that tone meant.

"What is it?" she whispered, afraid to hear what the answer would be.

"It's Clarissa," he said slowly. "She was...attacked last night. They found her bleeding to death in an alley."

Rinoa stared at him numbly. "I-is she...?"

"No," Caraway said, "She is still alive, though she is in critical condition. They're keeping her at the Deling City Hospital."

"I have to go see her," Rinoa said, shooting up from her chair.

Caraway shook his head. "You're not going anywhere, Rinoa. There's a killer running around somewhere out there. I won't have you exposed to that."

"Father, please! I highly doubt anyone is going to attack me in broad daylight. For God's sake, you can even send the guards with me."

"Alright," Caraway finally gave in, sighing. "You may go, but don't be gone long. I want you back by lunchtime."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "I'm not a child."

"Because your feelings are in a fragile state right now, I will refrain from commenting. You may go now. In the meantime, I will look into finding you a new tutor."

Rinoa's jaw dropped at that statement. "A new tutor?" she repeated. "You can't be serious."

"Your lessons cannot be neglected, Rinoa. You know how the public scrutinizes me. What do you think they would say if I neglected your education?"

"Clarissa was just _attacked_! I'm sure the public will understand why I don't have a tutor for the time being."

"They would _not _understand! They would do everything in their power to make me look like a fool!"

Rinoa clenched her fists in anger. "I can't believe you! Do you even care that Clarissa could have died last night? Hell, she could be dying right now! All you care about, all you have _ever _cared about is yourself. I don't know why I thought it would be any different this time."

"Rinoa, if you opened your eyes, you would see that I am only doing this for your own good."

"_My _own good?" Rinoa laughed bitterly. "I can't even bear to listen to this anymore. You know what, Father? You can stay here and make whatever plans you want. I'm going to visit my friend."

"Don't forget to take the guards with you," Caraway replied calmly.

His only response was the slamming of the study door. Caraway rubbed his forehead wearily and sighed. Rinoa always insisted on being difficult, no matter the issue. She held so much anger towards him that he doubted she would ever be able to look upon him in a favorable light. However, that attack last night had been no random deed, and despite what Rinoa believed, he only wanted to keep her safe. With a sudden thought, he picked up the phone and quickly punched in a number.

"Hello, Cid? This is General Caraway. I have a favor to ask of you..."

THOUGH it was still early, the Deling City Hospital was bursting with activity. The second Rinoa had stepped through the doors, she felt like she had entered a war zone. Cries could be heard from multiple unhappy children, their parents unsuccessfully trying to hush them. Nurses were hustling back and forth, issuing orders and collecting patients. The waiting area was packed, and it took Rinoa several minutes to make her way to the front desk.

"Can I help you?" the woman behind the desk asked, sounding anything but friendly.

"Um, my friend was brought here last night," Rinoa said hesitantly. "Clarissa Sheridan? I was just wondering if it would be possible to see her."

The woman shrugged. "Hell if I know. You see all those people out there?" She gestured toward the crowded waiting area. "Multiply that by a hundred and you'll get the number of people that come in here each day. You think I remember their names?"

"No, but maybe you could look it up on the computer-"

"Did you hear what I just said to you?" the woman snapped. "I don't know who your friend is, so you'd best be getting on your way."

"Excuse me, but do you know who you're talking to?" Rinoa looked up to see Greg, one of her father's guards, coming to her aid. "That's General Caraway's daughter and I doubt he'd be too pleased to know that you refused to help her."

The woman's eyes widened as what Greg had just said dawned on her. "I-I'm sorry. I had no idea" She turned to Rinoa. "What did you say your friend's name was?"

"Clarissa Sheridan," Rinoa said quietly, feeling extremely embarrassed. She could feel multiple pairs of eyes on her, which only caused her to blush even harder. Damn guards.

"She's in room 212," the woman informed her after consulting the computer in front of her. "Her condition is listed as critical, which usually means no visitors. However, I'm willing to make an exception."

_I'll bet you are_, Rinoa thought to herself amusedly. "Thank you," was all she said before turning away from the desk and confronting Greg. "I thought I told you and Damien to wait outside."

Greg shrugged. "I was bored. Just be thankful that I didn't drag Damien in here with me."

"I could have handled it myself, you know."

"Oh, sure," Greg said, his green eyes twinkling with amusement. "You seemed to be doing a great job of that when I arrived."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "I don't have time for your witty comments right now. I'm going to see Clarissa. I really don't care what you and Damien do while I'm gone, as long as you stay out of trouble."

Greg chuckled. "I wonder what your father would say if he knew how you ordered me about."

"Honestly, Greg, if you didn't want to help me, you wouldn't. Now _go_," she said, pushing him towards the door.

Greg shot her a grin, but did as he was told. With a sigh of relief, Rinoa turned around and headed down the hall containing Clarissa's room. She was almost hesitant to go in for fear of what she would see. Still, she knew she had to see her friend. The door to room 212 was closed, so Rinoa knocked upon it lightly. A minute later, she was staring at the distraught face of Zell, Clarissa's husband.

"Rinoa!" he exclaimed in surprise. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I'm sorry. I just kind of rushed over here as soon as I heard what happened. I can go if you want me to."

Zell shook his head. "Truth be told, I could use a friend right now. Come on in."

Rinoa walked into the room and was met with the sight of a deathly pale Clarissa. She was laying in the hospital bed, hooked up to several wires and tubes. Her right shoulder was wrapped up in a bandage, causing Rinoa to assume that was where she had been shot. _Poor Clarissa_, she thought sadly.

"How is she doing?"

Zell looked up at the break in silence. "The doctors don't know yet. They said that the next twenty-four hours are crucial. After that, they'll be able to assess the damage better."

Rinoa's heart broke at the sadness in Zell's voice. He seemed to be fighting back tears. She wished that there was something she could do for him. Although Clarissa and Zell were married, they were still in their early twenties. Because of their closeness in age, Rinoa had been able to form fast friendships with the both of them. In fact, it was Rinoa herself who had played the role of matchmaker between the two of them.

"You know Clarissa, Zell. She's a fighter. She's going to make it through this," Rinoa told him, surprised at how certain she sounded.

"You're right," Zell said, nodding vigorously. "It just really pisses me off, you know? When I find out who did this to her..."

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened? Everything seemed fine last night."

"I don't know what happened. A man found her bleeding in an alley and called the police. They're investigating the attack, but they haven't told me anything yet."

"Do they think it could have been a robbery?"

Zell shook his head. "As far as I know, they didn't take anything from her. I don't know what kind of sick person goes around shooting innocent women, but the second they find this guy, he is going to pay."

Rinoa sighed. "I just wish she had listened to me."

"Listened to you?" Zell repeated.

"Yes. I told her not to go out in that weather last night. Even my father told her to spend the night, but she insisted on going home."

Zell's gaze fell to his unconscious wife. "Why didn't you listen?" he whispered.

Rinoa reached out and patted his shoulder comfortingly. "If it's any consolation, I think that the reason she was so set on going home was to be with you. She didn't want you to worry about her."

Zell found that he couldn't speak. A huge lump had formed in his throat and he knew that if he opened his mouth, the tears he was trying to hold back would fall. Realizing this, Rinoa gave Zell a reassuring hug.

"I'll leave you two alone now. If you need anything, just let me know."

All Zell could manage was a nod before he turned back to his wife, finally letting the tears fall.

BACK at the Caraway Mansion, the General was still sitting behind his desk, his attention now occupied by a hefty stack of papers sitting in front of him. It looked like the Galbadian army was low on funding again. _Well, too bad for them_, Caraway thought coldly. The Galbadian army was the least of his problems right now. With the attempt on Clarissa's life the previous night, the General couldn't help but feel that Rinoa, too, was in danger. The attack had simply hit too close to home for his comfort. That was why he had had to take immediate action in finding his daughter a suitable replacement for Clarissa.

As if on cue, a shadow fell across the doorway, causing Caraway to look up. Before him stood a man who couldn't have been much older than twenty, with messy brown hair and gray-blue eyes. Caraway gave him the once over before frowning in disapproval.

"_You're_ who Cid sent me?" he asked in disbelief.

The man simply nodded, staring back at the General coldly. "It wasn't my decision to come here."

"How old are you, boy?" Caraway asked, completely ignoring the man's comment.

"Just turned twenty-one," he replied, again with that cold, detached voice.

Caraway rubbed his forehead wearily. "And your name?"

"Squall Leonhart."

"Well, Leonhart, I'll give you credit for speed, seeing as you got here remarkably fast, but I must admit that you're not exactly what I had in mind. You're not much older than my daughter."

"With all due respect, Sir, I don't see what age has to do with anything. I was under the impression that you were looking for a tutor for your daughter."

The General nodded. "That is correct. Would I also be correct in assuming that you believe you are just the man for the job?"

Squall shrugged. "Cid wouldn't have sent me here if he didn't believe I was right for the job."

"I can't argue with you there. Cid has proved to have a sixth sense when it comes to these things." He paused, as if considering his options. "Very well, then. I won't question your tutoring skills. However, what Cid failed to tell you is that you will not only be serving as my daughter's tutor, but also as her personal bodyguard. The pay would be well in your favor, but...skill is required, of course."

Squall shrugged again, expecting that the General thought that prospect would turn him away. "That won't be a problem."

As Squall had predicted, the General's face betrayed his surprise. "Are you saying that you have experience in combat?"

"I would say so," Squall said dryly, "Considering that I'm a Class A SeeD."

This time, the General could not stop his jaw from dropping. "Class A?" He took a minute to compose himself. "What's your specialty?"

Squall suddenly pulled out a massive sword with a lion carved into its blade. His hand grasped the handle and Caraway could practically feel the power and strength that he held as the blade swiped through the air. "Gunblades," he said simply.

"Well, perhaps I underestimated you, Leonhart. Alright then, you are officially hired. Before you begin, I have to lay down a few ground rules. First of all, under no circumstances is my daughter to find out that you are anything but her new tutor."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "You don't want her to find out that I'm her bodyguard."

"Precisely. Rinoa already despises the regular guards that I have stationed around the premises. She has the foolish notion in her head that she can take care of herself, but she is naive in the ways of the world. By now I'm sure that you have heard that her previous tutor was brutally attacked. I do not want the same thing to happen to my daughter, which is why I am expecting you to keep her safe at all times that she is under your care."

Squall nodded. "That won't be a problem."

"Good. There is just one more thing, then. I love my daughter. She is all that I have left of her mother. Now, if I find out that you touch her or hurt her in any way, I will kill you. Understood?"

Squall eyes narrowed at the General's threat, along with the chilling coldness in his voice. He had no doubt that the General's threat was a serious one. "Understood."

"Excellent. I'm glad that we understand each other." The click of the front door could be heard, followed by footsteps down the hallway. "Rinoa?" Caraway called. "Please come into my office."

Squall turned around and was met with the sight of a pretty girl with dark black hair and deep brown eyes. However, those eyes seemed to be filled with a deep anger at the moment, and as such, were aimed directly at her father. In fact, she didn't seem to notice Squall at all.

"How is Clarissa doing?" the General asked calmly.

"She's still in critical condition," Rinoa said quietly. "The doctors won't know anything for sure until tomorrow morning."

Caraway nodded. "I hope you expressed my utmost sympathy to her husband."

"Sorry, Father, but that would be lying, and I was brought up to never lie."

Caraway's eyes flashed in anger. "How dare you talk back to me!"

"How dare _you _pretend to care about Clarissa when the only person you care about is yourself!" Rinoa shot back.

"Enough! I refuse to have you treat me with so little respect!" He stood up and took a deep breath. "I called you in here to introduce you to your new tutor, Mr. Leonhart."

Rinoa turned around and finally noticed that she and her father were not alone in the room. Although she couldn't deny the fact that the man standing in front of her was extremely attractive, she was still feeling so angry that she couldn't bring herself to be polite. All she could do was stand there with her arms folded, glaring at the man in front of her.

Caraway cleared his throat. "Leonhart, this is my daughter, Rinoa."

Squall nodded and stuck out his hand, which Rinoa hesitantly shook. Neither one of them said a word, making for quite an awkward silence.

"Well, then," Caraway finally said, "I'll have Nancy prepare lunch. In the meantime, you can start your first lesson."

Before either one of them could argue, the General was out of the room, the door closing behind him with a click.


	3. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Once again, thanks so much for your reviews! As of right now, this fic has gotten 283 hits, which has me so excited. So thank you all for even bothering to read this, whether you review or not.

Midnight Song

Chapter Two

_**"Oh, and twisted thoughts that spin round my head  
I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning  
How quick the sun can, drop away  
And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass  
Of what was everything..."**_

_**-"Black" Pearl Jam**_

THE minute the door closed, Rinoa spun around to face her new tutor. With her father in the room, her main concern had been letting her anger be known to him, but now that he was gone, her new tutor...Mr. Leonhart, was the only one available to face her wrath. With that thought, she sighed. Mr. Leonhart had nothing to do with the quarrel between her and her father. There was nothing she could do but try and make the best of the situation, Although she had just met him, she didn't exactly get the feeling that her new tutor was about to break the silence. Therefore, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

With a deep breath, she put on her politest smile and said, "I'm sorry for being rude earlier. It's not you that I'm mad at, and if it came across that way, I apologize."

Squall simply nodded. Rinoa was already getting the feeling that he would be a tough nut to crack.

"So..." Rinoa began again, still feeling like she needed to make the peace, "Maybe we should try this again. I'm Rinoa Heartilly, and you are?"

Squall was surprised that she had introduced herself as something other than a Caraway. He would have thought that the General would have insisted upon her taking his name. Regardless, it was really none of his business, so he let it drop.

"Um, you do have a name, right?" Rinoa broke in upon witnessing his silence.

"Why ask questions that you already know the answer to?" Squall asked coolly.

It was Rinoa's turn to be surprised. She hadn't taken him for one so rude. "I told you, I was trying to get off to a better start. Besides, I didn't ask a question I know the answer to, unless I've been mistaken in assuming that you have a first name."

"I think you've been mistaken in a lot of things, Miss Heartilly. My first name is of no concern to you, and from this moment on, you will kindly refer to me as Mr. Leonhart. I don't know what your relationship with your former tutor was, but I am not here to be your friend. I am here to provide you with a proper education, so if you would be so kind as to sit down, we may begin the lesson."

Rinoa was stunned. She certainly hadn't expected that from him! "How old are you, Mr. Leonhart?"

Squall frowned. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

"I'm just curious. You don't seem much older than me, yet you speak like someone my father's age."

"Please sit down, Miss Heartilly," Squall said, completely ignoring her comment.

"If I sit down, will you tell me how old you are?"

Squall sighed. _Anything to shut her up._ "Fine."

"Great!" Rinoa exclaimed, clapping her hands together in satisfaction. She walked over to the sofa and took a seat. "Okay, tell me."

"I'm twenty-one," he said reluctantly.

_The same age as Seifer... _"So I was right," Rinoa said cheerfully, "You aren't much older than me. I'll be eighteen in three weeks."

"Again, our ages are completely irrelevant." He ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair. "Are you ready to start now?"

Rinoa nodded. "Sure, but only if you stop calling me 'Miss Heartilly'. It makes me sound too old."

Squall shook his head. "I don't think your father would be too happy if I did."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "Are you blind? If you haven't noticed, my father and I don't exactly get along. Therefore, what makes him happy or unhappy is none of my concern."

"Well, I don't have such a privilege. Your father is my employer, so what he says goes."

"So what you're saying is that you're just going to let him control you?"

"Nobody controls me," Squall said angrily.

"That's not what it looks like to me," Rinoa said quietly.

Squall's eyes flashed in anger. "If I had wanted an analysis of my motives for taking this job, then I would have asked for one."

Rinoa smiled wryly. "What exactly _are _your motives, Mr. Leonhart? You don't exactly seem happy to be here."

"It's a job that pays well," Squall said simply, "Nothing more."

Rinoa's eyes narrowed. "So you're just in this for the money."

"That's what I just said. If you're done interrogating me now, we can begin. How much do you know about junctioning magic?"

Rinoa clenched her teeth irritably. She did not like this man's attitude at all. He seemed much too sure of himself, not to mention that he was acting like a real jerk. What had her father been thinking upon hiring him?

"I don't know very much about junctioning magic," Rinoa admitted.

Squall nodded. "Just as I thought."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means," Squall said, "That you have your work cut out for you."

"Oh, great," Rinoa said sarcastically. "That sounds like loads of fun coming from you."

"We're not here to have fun," Squall reminded her.

"Of course. How stupid of me to forget." She plastered on a fake smile. "Alright then. Let's hear about that junctioning!"

Squall inwardly groaned. This was going to be a very long day.

A few hours later, Squall was gone, leaving Rinoa to mope around the house in misery. Even with a quick break for lunch, the lesson had dragged on. Rinoa couldn't remember a time when she had felt more bored. The junctioning of magic wasn't the most exciting of topics to begin with, but with her new tutor's monotone explanations, it became a thousand times worse. She knew her father wanted to project a good image to the public, but wasn't this a bit much? She wasn't a machine, although Mr. Leonhart seemed to think so.

Rinoa sighed as she vacantly stared out of her bedroom window. She just didn't understand Mr. Leonhart at all, and that greatly frustrated her. Rinoa had always had a talent for being able to read people like an open book. In this case, however, it seemed like she would be in for quite a challenge. _Good_, she thought to herself triumphantly. _I love a challenge. _Stubborn as she was, she was willing to do anything to make him crack. She completely refused to spend each day holed up in her father's study with that horrible man. Granted, he was a very attractive man, but a horrible one nonetheless. Just witnessing his behavior that day was enough to convince her of that.

"Miss Rinoa?" Rinoa looked up to see Nancy standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but your friends are here to see you."

"Friends?" Rinoa asked in surprise. She hadn't expected anyone today.

"Yes, your friends; Miss Selphie, Mr. Irvine, and Mr. Seifer."

"Oh!" Rinoa exclaimed, her eyes widening. "Are they downstairs?" Nancy nodded. "God, I must look a mess. I can't see Seif, er, them like this."

Nancy smiled knowingly. "You look fine to me. Why don't you go down to the living room and greet them. I'll send in some refreshments later."

Rinoa nodded and hurried out of the room, running her hands through her hair quickly. She felt a mess, but she trusted Nancy and assumed she had been telling the truth. Still, she couldn't help feeling excited at the prospect of seeing her friends, especially Seifer. She couldn't wait to tell him all about her insufferable tutor. If anyone would understand her plight, he would.

"Rinoa!" Selphie exclaimed upon first seeing her friend. The petite brown haired girl never seemed to cease energy and this meeting proved to be no exception. "We heard about Clarissa. How is she?"

"Not so good. The doctors say that the next twenty-four hours are crucial to her recovery. They're going to be monitoring her condition closely so that they can get a better idea about what what's wrong and how serious it is," Rinoa told her.

"And how are you doing?" Selphie asked. "We heard that you already have a new tutor."

"Selphie, give the girl a chance to breathe," Irvine piped up from beside her. "Sorry, Rin, you know how she gets." He flashed her an apologetic smile.

"Don't worry about it," Rinoa told him, returning his smile.

With his long auburn hair, trademark cowboy hat, and reputation as a ladies man, Irvine was the object of many a girl's affection. Despite such a reputation, most everyone knew that his heart was tied to Selphie and always would be. The two had been friends since childhood, so their parents were more than happy with the match. Rinoa wished the same could be said for her relationship with Seifer, but if the General ever found out that she was seeing Seifer behind his back, he would probably disown her. Her father was extremely old fashioned.

With those thoughts on her mind, Rinoa risked a glance at Seifer. He was staring at her with a slight smirk on his face. Rinoa blushed under his gaze. "Hey, Seifer."

"Hey," Seifer said, still wearing that smirk.

"So, Rinoa, are you gonna fill us in on this new tutor of yours?" Selphie persisted, breaking the momentary trance.

Rinoa made a face. "He's horrible! We spent hours going over how to junction the four basic magic spells. All the while, he was talking in this horrible monotonous voice. You wouldn't believe what I had to go through to keep myself awake."

"Your new tutor's a guy?" Seifer asked suspiciously, his eyes narrowing.

"Ooh, do I sense some jealousy?" Selphie teased.

"What's his name?" Seifer demanded, ignoring Selphie's comment.

"Mr. Leonhart," Rinoa told him, grimacing with distaste. "What an oxymoron considering that he has no heart."

"Leonhart?" Seifer repeated. "Squall Leonhart?"

"I don't know his first name. He was too stubborn to tell me. Seifer, are you okay?"

"Describe him to me," Seifer ordered. "What does he look like?"

Rinoa frowned. "Why does it matter? Do you _know_ him?"

Seifer shook his head impatiently. "Just tell me."

"Well, he's about your height...maybe a little shorter. Um, he has brown hair, blue-gray eyes, and this scar that goes between his nose and forehead. Actually, it's the exact opposite of yours, Seifer."

"Wow, Rin, for someone who doesn't like the guy, you sure paid a lot of attention to his appearance," Irvine commented.

Rinoa blushed. "I couldn't help noticing what he looked like. Besides, I didn't exactly have any other options when he was going on about the junctioning of magic. I mean-"

"Goddammit!" Seifer shouted, scowling angrily. "Of all the tutors in this damn city, you had to get _him_?"

"Seifer, calm down," Rinoa told him. "What is going on with you?"

"I know Leonhart," Seifer snapped, "And I don't like the idea of you being around him."

"That's right...you're both the same age. How do you know him?"

"How do you know we're the same age?" Seifer asked suspiciously.

"I, um, asked him," Rinoa admitted hesitantly.

Seifer shook his head. "I don't believe this."

"Seifer, why are you making such a big deal out of this? I just wanted to get him to loosen up a bit."

"You wanted to get him to loosen up?" Seifer spat. "Well, excuse me for interrupting you, then. I guess I'll be on my way." He stood up angrily and stormed out of the room.

"Seifer, wait!" Rinoa called as she ran out after him. "You're completely overreacting!"

Seifer completely ignored her and only stopped to shoot her one more dirty look before exiting out the front door. Rinoa watched him go, frustrated tears gathering in her eyes with every step he took. He had always been known to be the jealous type, but this was absolutely ridiculous. Mr. Leonhart was her tutor, for God's sake, not to mention the fact that she couldn't stand him. Why was Seifer making such a big deal out of everything?

The sound of heavy footsteps pounding down the hall caused Rinoa to quietly snap out of her daze. She turned around to meet the imposing gaze of her father.

"Rinoa, what is all this commotion?"

Rinoa sniffled, desperately trying to think of an excuse for the noise, as well as for the tears in her eyes. "That was Seifer," she began cautiously, trying to hide the quiver in her voice. "His friend got into an accident, so he had to leave."

Caraway frowned. "What were you doing with Mr. Almasy alone in this house? You know my policy on having boys over here while unattended."

"I wasn't alone with him. Selphie and Irvine are also here. They just stopped by to see how Clarissa was doing."

"That doesn't explain why you look so upset," Caraway commented, suspicion evident in his tone.

Rinoa sighed. "It's been a trying day, Father. Excuse me if I'm not allowed to show emotion."

Caraway shook his head, but did not say anything but, "Very well," before turning and walking away.

The moment he was out of sight, Rinoa released a long sigh of relief. Her relief was short lived, however, as the events of the past few minutes came rushing back to her. Sure, Seifer was known to have a temper, but she had never before seen him get so angry. Perhaps her other friends would be able to shed some light on the situation. With those thoughts in mind, she headed back into the living room.

"What was that all about?" Selphie immediately asked. "I mean, talk about an overreaction!"

Irvine nodded in agreement. "I don't get it. What was it about Rinoa's tutor that made him go off like that?"

"I was going to ask you guys if you knew anything about Seifer's relationship with Mr. Leonhart, but judging by your reactions, I take it that you don't?"

They both shook their heads. "You said you didn't like the guy, but could this new tutor of yours have really done something to Seifer to make him react in such a way?" Selphie questioned.

Rinoa shrugged. "I have no idea. I mean, I just met the guy."

"I don't know," Irvine said. "Whatever Seifer's history with your new tutor is, it seemed to me like the main motive for his outburst was jealousy."

"Jealousy?" Rinoa repeated. "That's crazy!"

"Not so crazy to Seifer," Irvine reminded her. "You know how he gets."

Rinoa shook her head. "That wasn't just jealousy. The minute I mentioned Mr. Leonhart's name, Seifer wasn't himself. Something is definitely up."

"Why do I get the feeling that you're going to make it your business to find out?" Selphie asked.

"Probably because I am," Rinoa said, flashing a smile.

"And just how are you going to do that?" Irvine questioned.

"Well, I'll just have to ask Mr. Leonhart all about it tomorrow," Rinoa told him, her smile widening.

SQUALL Leonhart collapsed onto the couch in the living room of his small apartment. Although the lesson with his new pupil hadn't lasted any longer than ones he was normally accustomed to, he found that he was utterly exhausted. That girl...Rinoa, had been completely draining. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he had encountered someone so stubborn. Her relentless barrage of questions had been highly annoying, not to mention completely lacking of respect. No matter the small difference in their ages, he was still her tutor, and as such, she needed to respect him. Rinoa had given up her questioning to listen to his lesson on the junctioning of magic, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that she had been anything but happy in doing so.

Squall sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his forehead wearily. It was really none of his business, anyway. With the money her father was paying him, he would have to put up with her. He hadn't been hired to become her friend or even be friendly, for that matter. His job was to teach her and protect her. No matter how boring she found him or his teaching style, she was just going to have to deal with it. He changed for no one.

A sharp pounding on the front door forced Squall to get up once again. He didn't know who would waste their time knocking on his door. He had few acquaintances, and even fewer friends. As he made his way over to the door, the pounding become more insistent.

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, "Calm the hell down."

Squall grabbed the doorknob and roughly pulled the door open. Few things in the world were capable of having surprised Squall in his lifetime, but this situation would have to be added to that list. Standing in front of him was a man he hadn't seen in four years, something he had hoped to keep that way.

"Seifer," Squall said with disgust. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I think I'm the one who should be asking you that question," Seifer spat back angrily. "You show up here after four years and start tutoring Rinoa on the spot? You must really be trying to piss me off."

Squall rolled his eyes. "So you tracked me down to bitch at me because I'm tutoring Caraway's daughter?"

"Caraway's daughter?" Seifer repeated. "Don't play dumb with me, Squall. Just admit that the reason you came to Deling City is to come between Rinoa and me."

"You know what, Seifer? I don't know what the hell you're going on about. I came to Deling City for my own reasons, none of which concern you."

Seifer shook his head. "I don't believe you. It's just too much of a damn coincidence."

Squall sighed. "It's been a long day, and I don't particularly feel like listening to you. If you think that I'm trying to come between whatever relationship you and Rinoa have, then that's bullshit. If you think I'm lying, why don't you ask your girlfriend what she thinks about me?"

"She already told me what she thinks of you, and I can't say that it was reassuring. That's why I'm warning you to stay away from her."

Seifer's admission surprised Squall, but he refused to let him know that. Still, after their lesson earlier, Squall had been certain that Rinoa hated his guts. Could she have been putting on an act for Squall, or had the act been for Seifer? If either scenario was true, then the question was, why? What could Rinoa possibly gain by lying to either one of them?

"Sorry, Seifer, but you probably just misunderstood her."

"I wouldn't have said anything if I had," Seifer shot back impatiently. "Caraway hired you to be her tutor? Fine, but that's where you draw the line. Even that's too far in my book, but I'm in no position to argue with Caraway. The man hates my guts."

"Whatever, Seifer. We can stand here all day and argue, but obviously nothing I say is going to get through to you. You can think whatever the hell you want. Just leave me the hell alone." Squall began to close the door.

"I'm not dropping this," Seifer insisted before the door had fully shut. "I know where you live, Squall, Don't think you've seen the last of me."

Squall just shook his head at Seifer's antics. He had always had a knack for being melodramatic. Honestly, though, if he had known how much trouble this Rinoa girl was going to be, he would have thought twice about taking the job. Poor Squall...he didn't even know the half of it.


	4. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Wow, 500 plus hits? It's really amazing to think that so many of you are reading this. I have to admit, though, that with those many hits, it's kind of disheartening to only get two or three reviews per chapter. I'm not going to threaten to stop writing this unless I get more reviews because regardless of the number of reviews I receive, I am having way too much fun writing this to stop. All I'm saying is that I would really appreciate hearing feedback from more of you, even if it's just a few words. Hearing from you guys helps me to become a better writer and know what areas to improve upon, and without reviews, I really have no idea about what you guys really think about my story. Sure, I've had 500 hits, but are those hits from people who enjoy the story, or click it once and hate it? Anyway, sorry for going on about that, but like I said, I'd really, really love it if I hear from more of you. Thank you all for reading, and to those who have been reviewing, you can't even imagine how much that means to me.

Midnight Song

Chapter Three

"**_Another game of putting things aside  
As if we'll come back to them sometime  
A brace of hopes  
And a pride of innocence  
And you would say...something has gone wrong_**

_**Again  
It seems we meet  
In the spaces  
In between  
We'd always say  
"Won't be long"  
No, but something's always wrong..."**_

_**-"Something's Always Wrong" - Toad the Wet Sprocket**_

THE next day, Rinoa anxiously awaited the arrival of her tutor. She paced back and forth in her father's study, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. She wasn't sure why, but she was starting to have second thoughts about asking him about Seifer. From her brief encounter with him yesterday, she could already tell that he wouldn't be pleased at her questioning. In fact, if Seifer's reaction the previous day had been any indication, Mr. Leonhart would be very, very angry. Still, she absolutely had to ask him. At this point, she really had nothing to lose. She could either ask him or Seifer, and, well, her questioning of Seifer hadn't exactly gone so well.

Rinoa was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that Squall had entered the room. He was able to set his things down on the table before Rinoa looked up and noticed his presence. For some strange reason, he seemed to wear the look of a deer caught in the headlights.

"Oh, hey, Mr. Leonhart," Rinoa greeted him. "I didn't even see you come in."

Squall narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You seem...cheerful today."

Rinoa shrugged. "It beats being down, right?"

"I don't know. Maybe I should try it sometime and find out for myself."

_Did he just **joke**? _Rinoa asked herself incredulously. Could it be possible that the man actually had a sense of humor? "Yeah, maybe you should," she replied, not exactly sure of what to say.

Squall walked over to the duffel bag he had brought and extracted a heavy looking book. "This book contains all of the basics that you need to know about using magic. Junctioning, drawing, you name it, it's in here."

Rinoa nodded. "I'll bet. That book is huge!"

"When you finish studying the book, you'll be ready for field training."

"Field training?" Rinoa repeated. "Good luck convincing my dad of that one." She paused momentarily to bite her lip. "Although it looks like you'll have plenty of time to work on him considering the size of that book."

Squall looked at her confusedly. "Not really. I expect you to have that book finished in a week."

"A week!" Rinoa exclaimed. "And just how do you expect me to do that?"

"You'll find a way, I'm sure. Besides, it doesn't look to me like you have anything better to do with your time."

Rinoa's eyes narrowed angrily. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"

"Forget it. I'm not here to argue with you."

"Oh, really?" Rinoa asked sarcastically. "Well, you sure do a great job of arguing with me every chance that you get. If you're going to start something, you might as well just finish it."

"Alright, fine. I think you're a complete spoiled brat who has far too much time on her hands. Instead of spending your time shopping around the city or fighting with your father, maybe you should be reading that book."

Rinoa's jaw dropped at Squall's sudden outburst, and she found that she was utterly speechless. Sure, she had taken him to be coldhearted, but the words that had just come out of his mouth cut deeper than she cared to admit. She was horrified to realize that her eyes had filled with tears. All she really wanted to do was run from the room and never see the man in front of her again. However, she absolutely refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had such an effect on her. Instead, she took a deep breath, swallowed her tears, and held her head up with as much dignity as she could muster.

"I'm sorry that you feel that way about me, Mr. Leonhart," she told him in an eerily calm voice. "I usually wait to get to know somebody before I pass judgment on them, but to each his own, I guess. Shall we begin with the lesson?"

Well, she had certainly surprised him yet again. Squall had taken her to be of a much weaker character. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps he should have waited longer to judge what kind of person she was. Then again, should he even be judging her in the first place? He was certainly in no position to, that was for sure. God, he felt so damn confused. Why did she have to make everything so complicated?

"Miss Heartilly, I..." he trailed off, unsure of how to proceed. He had never been good at apologies. "Forget it," he said, shaking his head. "You're right, we should begin."

Rinoa couldn't mask the disappointment in her face at his words. She didn't know why, but for a moment there, she actually thought that he was going to apologize. It was a ridiculous assumption to make, she knew, but that hadn't stopped her from believing it. The sad part was that, had he apologized, she would have immediately forgiven him. It sounded so crazy, but...she didn't want him to think of her as a spoiled brat. She wanted him to...like her, respect her, even. Why she wanted those things was lost on her, but she couldn't deny that she _did _want them.

Squall took Rinoa's silence as a sign for him to begin, which he did, going into another lecture about magic. Rinoa actually found herself surprisingly thankful for his style of teaching, for it gave her ample time to think. The last thing she wanted him to do was catch her tuning him out, but he wasn't exactly the type to stop and ask if she understood. _No_, she thought to herself, _He's exactly the type that would assume that every word coming out of his mouth is the gospel truth, and therefore universally understood_. Ooh, he just made her so mad!

"Miss Heartilly, are you listening to me?"

Rinoa snapped out of her daze with a start. Squall was fixing her with what she had already realized was his trademark look. It was a mix of impatience and irritation, which probably meant bad news for her. "Excuse me?"

"I asked you if you were listening to me," he repeated, his voice once again sounding detached and cold.

"Of course I was," Rinoa snapped back, trying to think of any possible topic he could have been droning on about.

Squall raised an eyebrow. "Then I guess you wouldn't mind telling me what you learned today."

_What I learned today? Ha, my pleasure! _"Well, I'd have to say that I learned one very important thing." She paused to watch his expression, which looked faintly suspicious. "I've learned that you, Mr. Leonhart, are a real ass-"

"...tounding teacher," General Caraway interrupted as he walked into the room. "Isn't that right, Rinoa?"

Rinoa glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my home, is it not? I came to see how you and Mr. Leonhart were faring, and it looks like I showed up just in the nick of time." He turned to Squall. "Is she driving you crazy yet?"

Squall was about to remark that he was just about ready to quit, when he saw the look on Rinoa's face. It was one of such smug satisfaction that he couldn't help but turn to the General with a small smile and say, "No, quite the contrary, Sir. Your daughter has been an exemplary student."

"Really..." Caraway said skeptically. "She hasn't given you any trouble at all."

"No, Sir. She's been...quite pleasant to be around."

Rinoa looked at Squall in disbelief. She could swear that he was trying to suppress a grin. So was this all a game to him? Suck up to the father while shunning the daughter?

"Well then, I guess I'll leave the two of you to continue your lesson. If you need anything, our maid, Nancy, will accommodate you."

Squall nodded, and the General was on his way. Once he was gone, Squall looked at Rinoa amusedly. "So I'm an astounding teacher?"

"You know that's not what I was going to say," Rinoa said angrily. "And what the hell is your problem? I'm quite pleasant to be around? Has anyone ever told you that you have major mood swings?"

"So what you're saying is that you don't think that you're pleasant to be around?"

Rinoa clenched her teeth in frustration. God, he knew just how to push her buttons. "What I'm saying is that you don't find me pleasant to be around, so why lie to my father and say that you do?"

"How do you know I was lying?" he asked, a smile playing about his lips. "Perhaps I don't find your company as horrendous as you think."

Squall's words caught Rinoa completely off guard. What game was he trying to play with her? "I'm sorry, but from what you said to me earlier, I don't think my assumption is wrong."

Squall simply shrugged. Where was he going with this, anyway? A simple comment made to spite her had seemed to have completely backfired on him. He wasn't sure why he was stringing her along like this. Was it to make up for earlier, or was this just another way to toy with a so-called "spoiled brat"? Squall didn't have the answers, and he didn't particularly feel like figuring them out.

"Forget it," he said flatly, once again retreating back to his cold demeanor. "Let's just-"

"Continue with the lesson?" Rinoa finished, smirking in triumph. "I'm starting to catch on to your games, Mr. Leonhart. When you're sick of my questions, you always suggest that we get back to the lesson."

"Very perceptive of you," Squall said dryly. "Maybe if you focused that attention on studying that book I gave you, we'd be able to start your field training sooner."

Rinoa's instant reaction was to snap back an angry retort, but she forced herself to take a deep breath instead. She refused to let him get the upper hand once again. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just a foolish girl who's in way over her head, but let me tell you something about me, Mr. Leonhart. I don't give up, and I _never _back down from a challenge. You think I can't have that book memorized in a week? Give me three days."

"Three days?" Squall asked skeptically. "Highly unlikely."

"Try me," Rinoa said, her voice deadly serious. "Unless you're afraid of losing."

"Losing?" Squall asked, raising an eyebrow. "I don't remember placing a wager."

"You didn't have to. If I win, it will hurt your pride. That's the only wager I need."

Squall shook his head. "Got me figured out already?"

"Yup," Rinoa said smugly, smiling sweetly at him.

"Well, I guess we'll see about that."

"So does that mean you're accepting my bet?" Rinoa pressed.

Squall shrugged. "I would, but...you're not of legal betting age."

Rinoa's eyes flashed angrily. "That's ridiculous!"

"Relax," Squall said, "I was just kidding. I accept your bet, although I still think you have no chance of succeeding."

"Give me three days," Rinoa told him, staring at him confidently. "You'll have to change your mind after that."

SEIFER walked down the crowded streets of Deling City, deep in thought. He wasn't sure how seriously Squall had taken his threats the previous day, but he was sure as hell going to make sure that he did. No matter how many times Squall denied it, Seifer was sure that tutoring Rinoa was something more than a well paying job to his old rival. There was no way that Squall would just show up out of the blue like that. There was something bigger going on, and Seifer was intent on finding out exactly what that something was.

Right now, however, he had to speak to Rinoa. After his outburst the previous day, he knew Rinoa wouldn't be happy to see him, but there was nothing he could do about that. His best bet was to try to keep the peace with her. The last thing he needed was for Rinoa to go running into Squall's arms to make him jealous. Now that he thought about it, that definitely sounded like something Rinoa would be likely to do. He immediately quickened his pace. The sooner he reached the Caraway residence, the better. Squall should have left by now, so if all went well, he'd be able to sneak in and speak to her alone.

As he approached the mansion, he was surprised to see Selphie walking out. He hadn't anticipated her being there, but at least it looked like she was leaving. Hopefully no one else would show up until he had finished speaking with Rinoa.

"Hey, Seifer!" Selphie waved as she spotted the blonde. "Here to see Rinoa?"

Seifer scowled. Why did she always have to be so nosy? At this rate, he'd never see Rinoa. "Yeah, I am. Where is she?"

Selphie shrugged. "Beats me. I just tried to see her, but Nancy said that she's studying and doesn't have time to see anyone." Selphie frowned. "Is it just me, or is that completely unlike Rinoa?"

"Yeah, unlike Rinoa, but not unlike her new tutor. The bastard's probably drowning her in work."

Selphie whistled. "You really hate him, don't you? Wanna tell me why?"

"No. I need to talk to Rinoa. Is Caraway home?"

"Nancy said he had just gone out when I asked her. Still, I don't think Rinoa's going to want to see you. After the way you treated her yesterday, I think you're just about the last person she wants to see. Besides, she seemed pretty intent on studying."

"I don't care how she feels. I'm still going to see her, whether she like it or not."

Selphie rolled her eyes. "Do whatever you want, Seifer. It's your funeral." With a small wave, Selphie took off, leaving Seifer to his own affairs.

Seifer shoved his hands into his pockets and casually walked up to the door, knocking loudly. A minute later, he was met with the sight of a very weary looking Nancy. From the look on her face, she was far from pleased to see him.

Before Nancy could open her mouth, Seifer held out a hand to stop her. "I need to see Rinoa, Nancy. I know that Caraway's not here, so just let me talk to her."

"You know that I can't do that, Mr. Seifer. The General would not be pleased if he found out I let you see Rinoa," Nancy informed him.

"Just tell her I'm here," Seifer persisted. "This won't take long."

Before Nancy could respond, Rinoa herself appeared in the hallway. "What do you want, Seifer?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Sorry," Rinoa said coldly, "But I'm busy."

"Yeah, I heard. Studying? What's gotten into you, Rinoa? It's Leonhart, isn't it? I'll kill him."

"Stop it, Seifer," Rinoa snapped. "I'm studying because I choose to, not because of Mr. Leonhart. Please just leave."

Seifer shook his head. "No. Not until you hear me out."

"You have two minutes," Rinoa told him, her voice not losing any of its coldness. "Better start talking."

"Rinoa, I know you're mad at me, but I'm serious about Leonhart. The guy is bad news, and the only reason he's been tutoring you is to get back at me."

Rinoa narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What are you talking about?"

"It's a long story. Listen, I've already warned Leonhart to stay away from you. Now-"

"What is wrong with you?" Rinoa demanded before Seifer could finish. "You warned my tutor to stay away from me? Who the hell are you to do that? You don't own me, Seifer."

"I was just trying to protect you," Seifer said angrily.

"I don't need your protection. God, why does everyone think I'm this fragile little girl who's about to break? I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and the last thing I need is another person trying to control my life. I get enough of that from my father, thank you very much."

Seifer clenched his fists, desperately trying to keep himself from saying something he would regret. "Oh, but I guess Leonhart doesn't try to control you?"

"That is it!" Rinoa shouted, clearly frustrated. "I am so sick of hearing about Mr. Leonhart. You obviously don't want to tell me why you hate him so much, so quit whining about it. Mr. Leonhart is my tutor whether or not you like it, so deal with it."

The look on Seifer's face was one of complete and utter shock. "You're defending him?"

Rinoa shook her head. "I'm sorry, Seifer, but your two minutes are up. Please don't come here again. I...don't want to see you anymore."

"You don't mean that, Rinoa."

"Nancy, please show Mr. Almasy out," Rinoa said coldly, the tone of her voice revealing how serious she was.

"Rinoa-"

"_Goodbye_, Seifer." Rinoa turned away and quickly retreated to her room. That conversation had taken longer than she would have liked. She had studying to do, after all. Her bet with Mr. Leonhart would never be won if she didn't take her studying seriously.

The thought of Mr. Leonhart stopped her dead in her tracks. Seifer had seemed shocked to hear her defend him, and to be honest, she had been pretty shocked herself. She wasn't quite sure why she had sided with her tutor instead of Seifer. At the time, it had just seemed like the right thing to do. Seifer's obsession with controlling her every move had just been getting to be too much. Maybe she had just wanted to spite him. _Yeah_, Rinoa thought to herself, _That must have been it_. She honestly hadn't realized how controlling Seifer was until that moment.

Besides, with Mr. Leonhart out of the picture, she would never have the satisfaction of seeing his face when she won that bet. That alone was worth breaking up with Seifer. He would have just distracted her, anyway. Walking over to her bed, she picked up the book Squall had given her. It was time to get back to business; she had a bet to win.

THE next morning, Rinoa woke up bright and early. She had spent the majority of the previous day completely absorbed in her studies. The subject matter was anything but fascinating, but Rinoa was determined to win that bet. In fact, she had been so serious about memorizing everything in that book that her father had become concerned when she hadn't come down to dinner. She had made no mention of the bet to him when he had asked, but he had been more than happy to see that "her new tutor had finally gotten through to her."

Rinoa rolled her eyes at that thought. She doubted her father would be so pleased to know her real motive for the excess studying. It wasn't like he would ever find out, though. As long as she played the role of the perfect little daughter, he would leave her alone. It was a harsh truth, but the truth nonetheless.

"Rinoa," Caraway's voice called from the study. "Could you come in here, please?"

_Wow, he used the word 'please'. He must be in a good mood today_, Rinoa thought to herself as she made her way to his study. As soon as she walked through the doorway, she was shocked to see that he was actually _smiling _at her. "You called me?"

Caraway nodded. "Yes. I see that you're up quite early this morning. Is there any particular reason why?"

Rinoa shrugged. "I thought I'd get an early start on my studying."

"Really?" Caraway asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's very admirable of you."

_What is he getting at? _"Is there anything in particular you want to speak to me about?"

"Actually, yes. Rinoa, your birthday is coming up in a few weeks. Have you given any thought to the kind of celebration you would like?"

Rinoa shook her head. "I haven't really thought about it. I guess I'll just spend the day with Irvine and Selphie."

Caraway looked surprised. "Rinoa, this is your eighteenth birthday; the year you officially enter into society. As your father, I have an obligation to make sure that your entrance into society is a smooth one."

"Entrance into society? What are you talking about?" Rinoa asked, frowning.

"I mean a ball, of course. It will be the perfect opportunity to introduce you to the most elite members of society. If you play your cards right, you might even be able to find yourself a wealthy husband."

Rinoa's jaw dropped. "Husband? Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I won't be around forever, you know. I'd like to know that you're in good hands before I die."

_Before he dies! _"Dad, what aren't you telling me? Are you...sick?"

Caraway shook his head firmly. "No, of course not. Rinoa, I thought you were familiar with this tradition. It has always been customary to throw an extravagant party when one's daughter turns eighteen. I'll have Nancy set up all of the particulars."

"I have no desire to be put on display in front of Deling's wealthiest, Dad."

"I'm sorry that you feel that way, but you have no say in the matter. This tradition has never been broken, and I refuse to be the first. Now run along and continue with your studies. Mr. Leonhart will be here soon."

Gritting her teeth, Rinoa quickly left the room, holding herself back from starting another argument. She should have known that her father's good mood would only mean bad news for her. There was absolutely nothing she could do, though. The only choice she had was to grin and bear it. After all, she wouldn't want to make good old Dad look bad, would she? With a sigh, Rinoa stomped up to her room and grabbed her book. Thinking about the look on Mr. Leonhart's face when she proved him wrong instantly cheered her up. At least she would still have the satisfaction of seeing _that_.


	5. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: First of all, I just want to say that I'm so sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. I've been completely swamped with school and writing pertaining to my two senior thesis papers. Hopefully there won't be as much of a delay in getting the next chapter out, but I can't promise anything. That being said, thank you so much for your reviews! You guys keep me going!

Midnight Song

Chapter Four

"**_Life's not supposed to be easy  
No one ever knows how their fate will play them  
And if their dreams are strong enough to carry and carry them through  
No one ever knows  
Do we need to know..."_**

_**-"You Can't Hide" Sweetbox**_

_"AND it looks like we're in for another day of clear skies in Deling City! In fact, our radar is showing that the weather will be quite pleasant for the next few days..."_

Squall rolled his eyes at the reporter's cheerfulness. It was just _weather_, after all. What was there to get excited about? Blocking out the reporter's annoying voice, Squall turned his attention back to his breakfast. He had been unable to sleep the previous night, which had resulted in restless tossing and turning until he had simply decided to get up. That had been hours ago, and while the night had slowly faded into morning, his thoughts were still as restless as ever. He hated to admit it, but a good part of those thoughts involved a certain dark haired pupil of his. _No_, he thought to himself, _I'm not starting with this again._ Gripping his glass of orange juice with unnecessary force, he downed the liquid in one gulp.

_"This just in: woman found dead in Deling City alley. Full details when we return."_

Squall's head snapped up at the announcement. People were found dead or injured every day, so what was it about this case that had caused him to push away his plate in a hurry and focus all of his attention on the television screen? He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't seem to get the image of Rinoa's face out of his head. A horrible feeling had gripped him the second the reporter had said "woman found dead," and now Squall felt himself cursing every commercial that came into view on the screen, withholding the rest of the story from him. Finally, the reporter's face popped back on screen, wearing a grim expression.

_"As reported before the break, a woman was found dead in a Deling City alley. The woman's name has not yet been released, but our sources tell us that she was a brunette in her late teens to early twenties. She was found early this morning in a back alley close to the Deling City Hotel. The victim was apparently shot twice, once through the head, and once through the chest. No other information about the attack has been released yet, but investigators believe that this case could be related to the attack made earlier this week on twenty-two year old Clarissa Sheridan. Sheridan was the former tutor of General Caraway's only daughter, Rinoa. She currently remains in critical condition at the Deling City Hospital. There is no word yet on a possible further connection between the cases, but we will keep you up to date on the situation as it develops."_

The reporter then began to talk about a fire in the city, prompting Squall to turn the television off completely. He wasn't sure if he should be relieved or not. The victim's identity hadn't been released, but Squall was fairly certain that the press would have leaked the name if it had been someone prominent in society. It couldn't have been..._her_. Squall suddenly felt extremely ridiculous. Even if it had been her, why should he care? He'd be out of a paycheck, that's why. _Yeah_, he told himself, _That's exactly why. _Rinoa Heartilly was nothing but a pain in his ass.

Feeling slightly more reassured, Squall started to clean up the remainder of his breakfast. He found that he had suddenly lost his appetite. The things hadn't even been placed in the sink when there was a knock on the door. With a sigh, Squall wiped his hands and headed over to the door. If it was Seifer again, Squall knew that he wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

To his surprise, instead of an arrogant blonde male standing outside of his door, a worried looking blonde female stood there. "Quistis?"

Quistis Trepe smiled grimly. "Hello, Squall. I'm sorry to show up here so early, but under the circumstances, I think it's understandable."

"Circumstances?" Squall repeated, confused.

Quistis nodded. "I'm assuming that you've heard about the woman who was found dead this morning?"

"Yeah," Squall told her, "What does that have to do wi..." He trailed off after putting two and two together. "It's Rinoa, isn't it?"

Quistis couldn't stop the look of surprise that suddenly spread across her features. The blue eyed blonde had known Squall since childhood, and he had never once sounded as concerned about another human being, let alone a _woman_, as he did now. "Yes," Quistis said, forcing herself to look composed.

Once again, Squall surprised her by quickly turning away, his body rigid. Quistis couldn't even begin to imagine what was going on inside of his head right now. His behavior was so odd and unexpected that she didn't have the slightest idea of how to approach him.

"Who did it?" Squall asked quietly, his voice sharp.

"Did what?" Quistis asked. She didn't have the faintest idea about what he was referring to.

Squall turned around to face her, his eyes completely devoid of any emotion. "Who killed Rinoa?"

"Killed Rinoa? Squall, you didn't think that I meant _Rinoa _was the woman who had been killed, did you?" It was obvious from his silence that he had. What was even more obvious to her was that Squall cared about his new pupil...more than he should, anyway.

"Why are you here, Quistis?" Squall asked coldly. He was annoyed at her for making him believe that Rinoa was dead. He was even more annoyed at himself for giving a damn, and more importantly, showing Quistis that he gave a damn.

"Sit down, Squall," Quistis instructed him. "We have a lot to discuss."

"The last time I checked, this was my apartment," Squall snapped, sitting down on the couch.

Quistis ignored his comment. "To answer your question, I'm here because Cid sent me. He thought you'd need my help."

Squall shook his head. "I can't believe this."

"Before you go jumping to conclusions, you might want to hear me out. Cid has been watching Deling City carefully ever since Clarissa Sheridan's attack. General Caraway asked him to help him find a tutor who could serve as his daughter's bodyguard. That's why Cid sent you."

Squall frowned. "That doesn't make any sense. The General seemed surprised when I told him my rank. Why would that surprise him if he told Cid to send him someone capable?"

"A test, most likely. Caraway wanted to make sure that you weren't an imposter. Perhaps he was testing Cid's loyalty, as well. The reason doesn't matter. What you need to know is that Cid sent you because he knew you'd be the perfect person to protect Rinoa."

"And just how did he know that?" Squall asked suspiciously.

Quistis shrugged. "He didn't tell me. What you need to understand is that Caraway called Cid for a reason. Don't you find it the least bit odd that with all of the guards crawling around his property, Caraway would have to hire you to protect his daughter?"

Squall shrugged. "I figured that Cid had something to do with it."

"Well, that's partially true. You see, Caraway immediately suspected that Clarissa's attack was somehow connected to Rinoa. That's why he sought Cid's help in the matter right away."

Squall frowned. "I don't understand. Other than Sheridan being her tutor, what's the connection?"

"Cid asked Caraway the same question, but he wouldn't tell him. All Caraway asked was that Cid trust him and help him protect his daughter. Well, Cid seems to trust him, which is why we're here."

"We?"

"I told you, Cid sent me to help you. With this latest attack, you're going to need all the help that you can get. Besides, if I'm correct, Caraway implicitly told you to make sure Rinoa doesn't find out you're anything but her tutor. I'm going to be working from the Deling City Hotel for the time being. Ask for me at the front desk if anything comes up."

Squall nodded. "Are we through here?"

"Yes," Quistis said, slightly hurt that he was so anxious to get rid of her. "I'll be in touch. Be careful."

"You don't have to worry about me."

"I know I don't," Quistis said quietly, "But that doesn't change the fact that I do."

Before Squall could respond, she was out the door. Even if she had stayed, he wouldn't have had time to question what she meant by that. He was already late for his tutoring session.

SQUALL arrived at the Caraway Mansion to find a very anxious looking Rinoa. She was pacing the length of the study nervously, hands behind her back and jaw set. He knew that she had seen him come in, but she had yet to acknowledge his presence. Squall briefly wondered if Rinoa's odd behavior had anything to do with their bet, but quickly decided that it didn't. The look on Rinoa's face was far too serious to be concerned over a trivial bet.

Clearing his throat made her finally meet his gaze. "Are you alright?" he asked hesitantly.

Rinoa nodded. "Yup, just great."

It wouldn't take a genius to detect the sarcasm in her voice. Squall quirked an eyebrow, but chose not to say anything. He was learning that it was usually better to leave Rinoa alone when she was in one of her moods.

"Well?" Rinoa demanded.

Now Squall was really confused. "Well what?"

"Aren't you going to ask me what's really wrong? You know, force me to open up to you?"

Squall couldn't help but laugh. "Hey, you're the interrogator around here, not me. Besides, it's none of my business. I can't stand it when people nag me about my feelings, so I'd be a real hypocrite if I turned around and did the same to you."

Rinoa considered that for a moment. "I see where you're coming from, but don't you ever want to let someone know what you're feeling? To get things off your chest?"

"Can't say that I have," Squall said, shrugging. "Now if you're done, we can pick up our discussion of GFs."

"But you still don't know why I'm upset!" Rinoa protested.

Squall stared at her incredulously. "Did you not hear a word I just said?"

Rinoa sighed. "I know, you're right. It's just that I'm going to explode if I don't get this off of my chest. I was hoping that you'd be willing to listen."

It was Squall's turn to sigh. Didn't she have friends to listen to her problems? Why did she have to go dumping them all on him? Still, he would never be able to carry on with the lesson if this kept up. "Fine. What has you so worked up this time?"

Rinoa ignored the annoyance in her tutor's voice. What she had told him was true; she was going to explode if she didn't vent about her father's plans. "My father is throwing me a ball for my eighteenth birthday."

"So?" Squall asked, not understanding the problem. "I thought you girls are supposed to love balls."

"Yeah, well most girls don't have selfish, money-driven fathers who will do just about anything to advance their standing in society. Do you think this ball is going to have anything to do with my happiness? It's a chance for my father to show me off to all of his friends, like I'm some type of trophy. The best part of it is, one of these oh-so-amazing members of society will be my future husband."

Squall's interest was immediately piqued. "So you're saying that your father is using the ball as a means of securing you a wealthy husband."

"Yes!" Rinoa exclaimed. "That's exactly what I'm saying. God, I don't know what to do. There's no way to escape it."

A sudden thought popped into Squall's head, and before he knew what he was saying, he blurted out, "Maybe I can help you."

Rinoa eyed him skeptically. "And just how do you suppose you can do that?"

Squall shot her a glare. "If you don't want my help, then there's no reason for me to speak further."

"Okay, fine," Rinoa quickly said. "What's your plan?"

Squall shrugged. "I just figured that if I attended the ball with you, I could keep an eye on any suitors and keep your father well away from them."

"You would do that for me?" Rinoa asked in disbelief.

"Why not?" he said with a slight smile. "Consider it my payment for being a jerk."

Rinoa couldn't believe what she was hearing. Not only was he offering to help her, but he was admitting that he had acted like a jerk! Rinoa doubted that she could have been more surprised if the sky had just fallen.

"Well, thank you," Rinoa said quietly, suddenly feeling shy.

Squall nodded, unsure of what to say. His attitude in the past few minutes had even shocked himself. He wasn't supposed to show her that he cared; dammit, he wasn't _supposed_ to care. What the hell had gotten into him today? First jumping to conclusions about the murdered woman, and now this? He really must be losing his mind.

Forcing composure upon himself, Squall ran a hand through his hair and decided that it was best to change the subject. "So, how's the studying progressing?"

Rinoa visibly relaxed with the asking of the question. It was extremely reassuring to be back on common ground. Squall's sudden kindness towards her had really thrown her off-guard; a feeling she wasn't accustomed to. "I'm learning a lot."

"Really," Squall stated, unsure if she was being sarcastic or not. "Good to hear."

"It is, isn't it?" Rinoa said, grinning. "Especially since you're going to lose our bet."

Squall couldn't help noticing that she seemed to change her moods extremely fast. No hints of her earlier despair could be detected. "We'll see," was all he said.

"Aw, come on, Mr. Leonhart. Have a little faith."

"This has nothing to do with faith, but with what is humanly possible."

A hint of something (pain? regret?) seemed to flash through her eyes. The emotion was gone so suddenly that Squall found himself wondering if it had ever been there at all.

"I'm a firm believer that anything is possible," she told him.

"I don't know," Squall said, shrugging. "Sounds like the easy way out to me."

Rinoa frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone has to face reality sometime. Fantasizing about some impossible event happening won't get you anywhere."

_Looks like the old Mr. Leonhart is back. _"So I suppose your not a big fan of hope?"

Squall shook his head. "Waste of time. Why bother believing in something that is destined to fail?"

"How can you say that?" Rinoa demanded. "Hope is one of the most beautiful things a person can have. No matter what happens, hope is always there. Even when it seems like everything in the world is falling apart, that one little spark of hope gives up the strength to carry on."

Rinoa's words were powerful, but no matter how badly Squall wished he couldn't believe them, he just couldn't. What had hope ever given him? A lifetime of pain and regret, that's what. He found that he had grown extremely tired of this conversation. It was time to retreat back into what was safe. "I have a feeling that we're not going to agree on this issue, and I think it's about time that we started with the lesson."

Before Rinoa could respond, Caraway had walked into the room. "I hope I'm not interrupting, but I have some news that I thought you'd like to hear, Rinoa."

From the look on Rinoa's face, it was obvious that she didn't believe that anything that came out of Caraway's mouth would be something she'd want to hear. "What is it?" she asked wearily.

"I've just received word that Clarissa has woken up and is in stable condition."

Rinoa's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious? Oh my God, I have to go see her!"

Caraway held up a hand to stop her. "Not so fast. You're in the middle of a lesson."

"But Father!"

"No 'buts'," Caraway told her firmly. "You know that your education comes first. You may visit Clarissa tomorrow." That said, the General was gone.

"God!" Rinoa exclaimed angrily. "That man is impossible to live with!"

"Grab your coat," Squall announced suddenly, picking up his own.

"Excuse me?"

"I said go grab your coat, Ms. Heartilly. It's time for your field training to begin."

RINOA followed Squall down the street, shivering from the cold. Winter was quickly approaching the city. While she loved the snow as much as anyone, the cold weather was definitely something she could do without. It didn't help that she had no idea where her tutor was taking her or what type of field training she was in for. Besides, hadn't the deal been that she would start field training after she finished the book?

"Mr. Leonhart," Rinoa called, slightly out of breath from having to keep up with his long strides, "Can you please tell me where we're going?"

"No," Squall said emotionlessly as he walked on.

Rinoa sighed in annoyance. "You don't make any sense. I mean, you said that I had to memorize that damn book before I could start my field training. Now, you just up and decide to start, not to mention when it's freezing."

Squall shot her a quizzical look. "Freezing? I'd hardly call sixty degrees freezing."

"Yeah, well anything below seventy is freezing in my book," Rinoa gritted out through chattering teeth.

Squall rolled his eyes, but wisely chose not to say anything. Rinoa gave up her questioning for the time being, and they continued on in silence. They had now reached the heart of Deling City, home to multiple shopping districts, the famed Deling City Hotel, and of course, the Deling City Hospital. Realization hit Rinoa as soon as she saw that they were making their way over to the main entrance.

"I can't believe this," Rinoa said in amazement. "You told my father we were going to train so that I could some and see Clarissa."

"Not exactly," Squall told her, running a hand through his hair uncomfortably. "We need to find you a weapon if you're going to be training soon. It's just your luck that the hospital is on the way."

Rinoa shook her head, not believing that he hadn't intentionally allowed her to go to the hospital. She had no idea what had gotten into her tutor today, but it was definitely an improvement over the grouch she was growing used to.

"Well, luck or not, thank you." She then recalled the earlier part of what he had just said. "Wait a minute. You just said that I'll start my real field training soon. Does that mean that you've accepted the fact that I'm going to win our little bet?"

"No," Squall said, "Regardless of whether you win or lose, you'll still eventually start you field training. Might as well have a weapon ready."

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "You are so full of it. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to see Clarissa."

Squall put a hand up to stop her. "Not so fast. I'm not letting you go in there alone."

"Mr. Leonhart, it's a _hospital_. I really doubt that some big, evil man will abduct me there."

Squall shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'm still coming with you, so move it."

Rinoa sighed, but chose not to argue Whether Mr. Leonhart came with her or not really didn't matter. The important thing was that Clarissa was awake, and she was going to see her. As Rinoa walked up to the desk and signed in, she was extremely relieved to note that the secretary from the other day was nowhere in sight.

Turning to Squall, she said, "You can wait for me here. I won't be very long." Squall stared at her pointedly. "Okay, fine, you can come. You don't have to look at me like that."

Squall followed her down the hall silently. He couldn't stand being in hospitals. They were full of nothing but bad news, and Squall had enough of that in his every day life. Rinoa looked over her shoulder to make sure he was following before stopping in front of one of the doors that lined the hallway. Putting on a mask of confidence, she reached out and opened the door for the second time that week.

Zell sprang to his feet immediately upon seeing him. The change in his appearance over the course of a few days was remarkable. Rinoa could see the relief and ease in his face, and couldn't help smiling. It was wonderful to receive good news for once.

"Hey, Zell," Rinoa greeted him warmly. "How are you doing?"

"Great, now that I know Clarissa's going to be fine," he told her.

At the mention of Clarissa, Rinoa's eyes traveled over to the hospital bed. Her former tutor appeared to be resting peacefully.

"I'm so happy for you," Rinoa told him genuinely. "We just heard the news and had to come right over. I hope you don't mind."

"We?" Zell asked, eyes zeroing in on Squall.

"Oh!" Rinoa exclaimed, "I almost forgot. Zell, this is my new tutor, Squall Leonhart." She turned to face him. "Mr. Leonhart, this is Zell Dincht, Clarissa's husband."

The two men nodded at each other. Squall wondered how Rinoa had figured out his first name since he had never told her. He made a mental note to question her about it later.

"So how is she doing?" Rinoa asked Zell. "Any idea when she'll be released from here?"

Zell shrugged. "The doctors aren't sure yet. They want to observe her further before they release her. They said she should make a full recovery, though. It's a miracle."

Rinoa shot a glance at Squall to see his reaction to the word "miracle." From their earlier conversation, she didn't take him to be much of a believer in those, either. Her eyes met his across the room and she shot him a look that clearly said "I told you so."

"Rinoa?" a faint voice asked hesitantly.

Eyes wide, Rinoa immediately ran over to Clarissa's side. Clarissa now lay awake, her eyes taking in the sight all around her. "Clarissa!" Rinoa exclaimed, gripping her hand tightly. "I was so worried."

Clarissa laughed weakly. "You can't get rid of me that easily. Have you been keeping up with your studies?"

"Only you would ask me a question like that at a time like this," Rinoa told her, grinning. "But yes, I'd have to say that I'm definitely keeping up with my studies." She couldn't help looking at her current tutor as she said so.

Clarissa followed her gaze. "Are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Oh," Rinoa laughed, "He's not my friend, just my new tutor, Mr. Leonhart."

"New tutor, huh?" Even though Clarissa's voice was faint, Rinoa could still detect the amusement in her voice. "You keeping her on her toes?" she asked Squall.

He shrugged. "I don't know." He turned to Rinoa. "Am I?"

Rinoa rolled her eyes. "See what I have to deal with?"

Clarissa just smiled. "How's Seifer doing?"

Rinoa's face darkened. "I wouldn't know. We broke up."

Squall was definitely surprised to hear that particular bit of news, but immediately feigned disinterest. Of course he wouldn't have heard about it. Why would Rinoa ever want to share her personal life with him?

"I'm so sorry," Clarissa said sympathetically. "What happened?"

"Looks like that's our cue to go," Zell told Squall. "You wanna grab a cup of coffee?"

"No, no, no," Rinoa protested. "You don't have to leave, Zell. Actually, we're the ones who should get going. I just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing, Clarissa. I'm so happy that you're okay."

"Believe me, so am I. Thank you for stopping by, Rinoa," Clarissa told her.

Rinoa gave her a light hug, not wanting to hurt her. "You're welcome. You just worry about getting out of here, alright?" Clarissa nodded. "Bye, Zell. Take care of yourself."

With one final wave, Rinoa left the room with Squall following behind her, silent once again. Squall wasn't exactly talkative to begin with, but Rinoa couldn't help noticing that he was even quieter than usual. It was starting to worry her.

"Mr. Leonhart," she asked quietly, "Are you alright?"

"How did you find out my first name?" he asked suddenly, ignoring her question.

Rinoa stared at him in confusion. "What?"

"Back there, you introduced me as Squall. How did you know?"

"Um, is it really that big of a deal?"

"Humor me."

Rinoa sighed. She supposed that telling him would open the door to talk about Seifer, but was she ready for that? "You'll just get angry if I tell you."

Squall's eyes narrowed. "Try me."

"Okay, fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. Seifer told me."

"Of course he would," Squall said, nodding. "I'm sure he had an abundance of wonderful things to say about me."

"Mr. Leonhart," Rinoa said hesitantly, "What happened between the two of you?"

Squall shook his head. "It's a long story."

"Well, I'll have you know that I'm a great listener," Rinoa told him with a smile.

The corners of Squall's lips twitched every so slightly. "That may be true, but even if I did want to tell you, which I don't, there's no time to."

"We have plenty of time!" Rinoa protested.

"I'm afraid we don't," Squall said calmly as he paused outside of one of the shops, "It's time to find you a weapon."

Rinoa groaned. "Great."


	6. Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Once again, so sorry for the delay. I also apologize for this chapter, as I feel it is far from my best. Hopefully the next one will improve. As always, thank you for your kind reviews!

Midnight Song

Chapter Five

"**You take a lot of chances with your feelings **

**No one really knows what you feel **

**And fiction is the only way you're dealing **

**You turn your pretty head if it gets real **

**You take it so slowly **

**And your eyes look so lonely **

**And it's only when you think about me **

**Oh yeah **

**When you think about me **

**Think about me..."**

**- "Think About Me" Goo Goo Dolls**

RINOA walked through the door of the Caraway Mansion, utterly exhausted. If she never stepped foot into another weapons shop, she would lead a perfectly happy life. Her and Squall had spent a good hour going over the strengths and weaknesses of various weapons in the shop before she had finally settled on a pinwheel. While not the strongest of weapons, Rinoa had liked its light-weight feel, as well as its striking distance. Squall had surprisingly approved of her choice, so Rinoa now owned her very first weapon.

"Store that in a safe place," Squall instructed from behind her. She had forgotten he was there.

"Yeah," she said absently, "I'll be sure to do that."

To be honest, it was hard to concentrate on what Squall was saying when Rinoa's mind was still hung up on their discussion of Seifer. What was he hiding from her? It was really none of her business, but she was just so damn curious. After the kindness Squall had shown her today, though, it would be far too cruel to press him further now.

"There shouldn't be any problems with your father, but if he complains, tell him to get in touch with me," Squall continued.

Rinoa nodded. "I will."

Squall looked as if he wanted to say something else, but settled for a nod instead. "I'll see you tomorrow, then." Rinoa nodded once more, which he took as his sign to leave.

As soon as the door closed, Rinoa let out a long sigh, although whether the sigh was in relief or frustration was yet to be determined. Squall's behavior throughout the day had done nothing but confuse her. Part of her was thankful, but the other part of her was more confused than ever. What sense could she possibly make out of his actions? Yup, he was definitely a tough nut to crack. Still, she was determined to get through to her tutor. As she had told him, she _never_ gave up.

In the meantime, she still had a world of studying to do. Regardless of having acquired a weapon, she was determined to win her bet against Squall. It wasn't even about the field training anymore. From what she had seen of Squall that day, she had a feeling that she would be starting her field training soon, with or without winning the bet. No, this had become so much more to her. It was a way to show her tutor that she wasn't one to be reckoned with, and that she definitely wasn't a spoiled brat without a brain in her head. She intended to show him exactly what she was made of.

"RINOA!" Caraway yelled, "Mr. Leonhart is waiting! Get down here _now_!" Shaking his head, he turned to Squall. "I'm sorry about this. It seems my daughter has overslept. I'm sure she'll be down shortly, but in the meantime, please make yourself comfortable in the study."

Squall nodded, but Caraway hardly noticed as he stormed off down the hallway. He was beginning to realize that Caraway had a flare for the dramatic. Shaking his head, Squall crossed over to the study and set his things down. Today was the day the winner of the bet was to be determined. Rinoa was probably taking her sweet time in coming down so that she could squeeze in some last minute studying. Either way, Squall wasn't worried. He knew there was no possible way that she could have memorized that book, but he did have to commend her for trying. She was definitely something else.

The door to the study creaked open, causing Squall to look up. It was only Nancy. "The General would like me to inform you that Miss Rinoa should be down in five minutes. Is there anything I can get you while you wait?"

"No," Squall said, shaking his head. "I'm fine."

With a firm nod, Nancy left the room, once again leaving him to his thoughts. Rinoa was really putting on a show. Thinking of the lecture Caraway would have for his daughter after Squall left was definitely amusing. Of course, she would probably find a way to blame it on him. Whatever, it was really none of his business in the first place. As long as his paychecks kept on coming, what Rinoa and Caraway did was of absolutely no concern to him. Besides, Rinoa was simply far too much trouble than she was worth.

"Mr. Leonhart, I am so sorry," Rinoa wheezed as she came running into the room. "I overslept."

_Sure you did_, Squall thought to himself, but immediately changed his mind upon seeing the bags under her eyes and her overall disheveled appearance. "Don't worry about it," he heard himself saying. "Let's just get started."

Rinoa surprised him by nodding and promptly taking a seat. She seemed unusually quiet, but Squall figured that was because of her lack of sleep.

"I guess we'll start with a quiz on the material covered in the book. If you pass, we can begin your field training tomorrow," Squall informed her. "You ready?"

"Yes," Rinoa said softly, nodding to reaffirm her agreement.

"Alright, first question. What are the three types of thunder based magic called?"

"Thunder, Thundara, and Thundaga," she answered automatically, surprised at the easiness of the question. She hoped he wasn't trying to lull her into a false sense of security.

Squall nodded. "Correct. What is the maximum number of different types of magic you can carry?"

"That's a...trick...question," Rinoa told him, her voice growing fainter by the second.

Squall frowned. "Miss Heartilly, are you alright?"

Rinoa closed her eyes, but nodded. "There's an...unlimited amount of...magic...you can...carry." Her voice faltered once again.

"Miss Heartilly?" Squall strode over to where she was sitting and hesitantly placed a hand on her forehead. "Christ, you're burning up."

"No," Rinoa said, her voice barely above a whisper, "I'm fine."

"You are not fine, Miss Heartilly. I'm going to call your father in here."

"No!" she said, much more forcefully this time. A determined look spread across her features and she forced herself to stand up.

The whole world seemed to spin right before Rinoa's eyes, and she immediately felt herself falling. A distant part of her mind braced for the impact, but it never came. Instead, she found herself wrapped up in the arms of her tutor. At any other time, she would have been shocked, but in that moment, all she could think about was how Squall's eyes had softened, staring concernedly into her own.

"Squall..." she whispered, and before she had time to realize what she had just said, she had passed out in his arms.

"Dammit!" Squall cursed, looking about him helplessly. He didn't want to just leave Rinoa, but he had to find someone who could help her.

He gently extracted her from his arms, and then placed her down on the couch. "I'll be right back," he told her, and then felt like and idiot. Of course she couldn't hear him.

The moment Squall stepped outside, he nearly collided with the General himself. This would have highly annoyed Squall at any other point in time, but right now, he found himself immensely relieved to see him.

"What's the matter, Leonhart?" Caraway barked. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"It's Rinoa, Sir. She needs a doctor."

The General's eyes widened. "What happened?"

"I don't know," Squall said helplessly. "She was burning up, and then she just passed out."

"Out of my way, boy! I'll go call the doctor. You stay with Rinoa and try to get her to wake up," Caraway instructed.

Squall nodded and then reentered the study. Rinoa was still laying on the couch, eyes closed. Despite the potential danger she was in, Squall couldn't help noticing that Rinoa looked extremely peaceful.

"Hey," Squall said, touching her shoulder lightly, "Can you hear me?"

Rinoa's eyes slowly opened and began to focus in on the man in front of her. "Mr. Leonhart?" she asked softly.

Squall nodded. "Yeah, I'm right here."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure. You were burning up, and then you suddenly passed out," he explained.

"Heh, it must have been the stress of your test," she said with a weak smile.

"I told you it would be challenging."

"Oh, please," Rinoa said, rolling her eyes, "It was a joke."

"Well, I'm glad to see that you're regaining your strength."

Rinoa's smile grew wide. "Were you worried about me, Mr. Leonhart?"

"What I was worried about was not having the chance to win our bet."

"Oh, really? How about we continue with the questions and see if you're right about that."

Squall threw her a skeptical look. "After what just happened, I think you should be resting."

"I'm fine," she insisted, and began to sit up. However, her head immediately felt heavy, causing her to lie right back down.

"You were saying?" Squall smiled slightly.

"Okay," Rinoa sighed, "You win."

Squall shook his head. "Let's just call it a draw. We can start your field training as soon as you're better."

"Do you really mean that?" Rinoa asked, unable to mask her surprise.

"Yes," Squall told her, looking serious.

Rinoa suddenly felt shy. He had surprised her once again with his kindness, and just like before, it had caught her completely off guard. What also surprised her was how much she was starting to like her tutor. Before she had time to ponder the situation further, Caraway rushed into the room, followed by a doctor.

"Ah, you're awake," Caraway commented, sounding relieved. "In any case, Dr. Williams is here to examine you."

"Hello, Rinoa," the doctor greeted her, and then turned toward Squall and Caraway. "If you two would be so kind as to leave the room, I may start the examination."

The two men quickly left the room, closing the door and allowing the doctor to do his job. No sound could be heard in the hallway, and each man was too caught up in his own thoughts to strike up a conversation with the other. There was really nothing either one of them could do except wait, whatever the news might be. The minutes seemed to stretch on into hours, until the door finally opened and the doctor stepped out.

"Well?" Caraway demanded.

"Your daughter is suffering from exhaustion," Dr. Williams explained. "She's going to be fine, but she needs to take it easy for the next few days."

"Leonhart, have you been overworking my daughter?" Caraway asked angrily.

"No, Sir."

Caraway shook his head. "Regardless, you heard the man. Rinoa needs to take it easy, which means no lessons for the next few days. You may be on your way."

Squall hesitated. "I, uh, need to get my things."

"Make it quick."

Nodding, Squall walked back into the study and grabbed his duffel bag. Upon hearing the noise, Rinoa opened her eyes. "You're leaving."

"Yeah. The doctor says you need your rest, so I won't be seeing you for a few days."

"Oh," Rinoa said, surprised to find that she was disappointed. "Well, thank you for, um, everything."

Squall nodded once more and then hurried out of the room. The air in there had suddenly become much too thick for his taste. At least he would have the next few days off. That would offer him ample time to forget about everything that had occurred today, especially the way shivers had run down his spine when Rinoa had called him by his first name.

THE next few days passed quietly as Rinoa found herself confined to her room. On any other occasion, she would have strongly protested, but she had been far too tired to care. She passed the hours curled up in her bed, drifting in and out of sleep and dreams filled with the image of her tutor's face. When she was awake, she couldn't do more than stare off into space vacantly, contemplating the events that had transpired over the past few days.

"Wake up, sleepy head!" a cheerful voice called, playfully flicking Rinoa on the head.

Rinoa groaned, burying her head into the pillow. "How'd you get in here, Selphie?"

The cheerful brunette frowned at her friend's back. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

With a sigh of defeat, Rinoa rolled over. "I am happy to see you, just not so happy to be woken up."

"Oh, please. You've been sleeping for three whole days. It's about time you got up."

"What part of 'exhaustion' don't you understand, Selphie?" a voice asked from the doorway.

"Irvine, you're here, too?" Rinoa asked, not really surprised. It was rare to find Selphie or Irvine without the other.

"Of course," he said, bowing gallantly, "And I apologize for Selphie's behavior. I told her that you'd want to be left alone."

Rinoa had to stifle a laugh at Irvine's formal tone. "Don't worry about it. I'm feeling a lot better, and Selphie's right, I should be getting up." She hoisted herself up and scooted over so her friends could take a seat.

"We really were worried about you, Rin," Selphie told her. "Why are you so exhausted all of a sudden?"

"I don't know," Rinoa said, shrugging. "I guess I've just been studying too hard."

"I knew this had something to do with your new tutor!" Selphie exclaimed.

Rinoa shook her head. "It was my fault. We made a bet and I wanted to win it, so I did everything in my power to. I guess it was just too much."

"Don't blame yourself, Rinoa! Look at what this guy is doing to you! You have to talk to your father."

"Selphie's right," Irvine agreed. "You can't kill yourself over this guy. Besides, weren't you saying the other day that you can't stand the guy?"

"Well, I was wrong," Rinoa admitted, surprising everyone in the room, including herself. "Mr. Leonhart isn't a bad person. In fact, he's been really nice to me lately. Do you know he took me to see Clarissa at the hospital?"

"Wow," Selphie said, smirking, "You _like _him!"

"What?" Rinoa said, starting to turn red. "No I don't."

"Oh, you so do! Look, you're even blushing!" Selphie squealed triumphantly.

"No, I'm not!" Rinoa insisted, turning positively crimson.

"Irvine, isn't she turning red?"

"Most definitely," Irvine added, smirking as well.

Rinoa covered her face with her hands. "You guys are terrible!"

"Aw, you don't have to get all embarrassed about it. I think it's cute that you have a crush on your tutor."

"Weren't you just telling me that Mr. Leonhart is bad news?" Rinoa pointed out.

"That was before you told us that he took you to see Clarissa. That was pretty sweet."

Rinoa just shook her head. There was no stopping Selphie once she got started. Noticing her discomfort, Irvine stepped in, saying, "Alright, Selphie, leave the girl alone. We should get going, anyway."

"Oh, alright," Selphie said reluctantly. "Get well soon, Rin. When you get better, we'll finish this conversation." She winked and then exited the room with Irvine, singing "Rinoa loves Mr. Leonhart" all the way.

SQUALL walked down the street slowly, his head occupied with a frenzy of thoughts. He had just come back from a meeting with Quistis at the Deling City Hotel. All had been quiet in the city lately, which meant trouble as far as Squall was concerned. Quistis had seemed to agree, and promised that she would keep tabs on the situation. When he had volunteered to look into the matter himself, Quistis had promptly reminded him that Rinoa was supposed to be his main concern. He was to do everything in his power to ensure her safety.

_How am I supposed to protect he when I haven't even seen her in three days? _Squall thought irritably. He would never admit it, but he was actually starting to miss his tutoring sessions with Rinoa. Part of him even felt a bit guilty for making that bet with her. She wouldn't have exhausted herself to such a state if it hadn't been for her determination to win the bet. Squall smiled wryly, shaking his head. Yep, she sure was something else.

As Squall walked on, he found that his steps had led him to the Caraway Mansion. _Damn_, he thought upon seeing the building, _She's really getting under my skin_. Now that he was here, did he dare stop in? Rinoa was most likely resting under Caraway's watchful eye. The last thing either of them probably wanted was to be disturbed by him. God, what was he doing? He was turning into a fool over this girl. Squall shook his head and was just about to walk away when two people came walking out the front door.

"Rinoa loves Mr. Leonhart! Rinoa loves Mr. Leonhart!"

"Selphie, would you please stop? Rinoa can't hear you anymore, so give it a rest."

"No way, Irvine! This is too much fun! Rinoa loves Mr. Leonhart! Rinoa loves Mr. Leonhart! Rinoa loves Mr.-"

Irvine glanced over at Selphie's sudden silence. "What is it?"

"Is that Mr. Leonhart?" Selphie whispered anxiously, pointing to where Squall was standing. "He looks just like the man Rinoa described."

Irvine shrugged. "It could be anybody."

"I'm gonna go over and talk to him," Selphie said excitedly, her eyes shining with mischief.

"Selphie..." Irvine warned, but it was too late. Selphie had already walked over to where the man stood.

"Are you Mr. Leonhart?" Selphie asked right away.

Squall gave a slight nod, and then turned to be on his way.

"Wait!" Selphie exclaimed, grabbing his arm. "I'm Selphie Tilmitt, one of Rinoa's best friends. This is Irvine Kinneas, her other best friend."

By this time, Irvine had reached the two of them. "Howdy," he said, tipping his hat. "Pleasure to meet you."

Squall remained silent, prompting Selphie to speak up. "So what are you doing here, Mr. Leonhart? Going to see Rinoa?"

"I was just walking down the street," he said coldly.

Selphie smiled. "It sure didn't look like that to me. That doesn't matter, though. You should really go in and visit Rinoa. She could sure use some company."

"If she is looking for company, I highly doubt seeing me is what she had in mind," Squall said flatly.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure of that," Selphie said with a wink. "I think you should go see for yourself. The General isn't home, if that's what's holding you back."

"It's not."

Selphie shrugged. "Have it your way. Come on, Irvine, we should get going."

Squall watched the two of them walk away, a frown etched upon his face. He had never seen someone so hyper. With a shake of the head, he quickly made his way down the path to the front of the estate. It wouldn't hurt to stop in for a few minutes, just to make sure that she was alright. Not that he _cared_ or anything. He just wanted to know when he would have his job back.

The moment he knocked on the door, Nancy opened it, not looking the least bit surprised to see him. In fact, he could swear that he saw amusement on her face. Was the whole world going crazy today?

"Come on in, Mr. Leonhart," Nancy said, ushering him inside. "I suppose you want to see Ms. Rinoa?" Squall nodded, feeling oddly nervous. "Well, that provides us with quite a dilemma, doesn't it? You see, it would be highly improper for you to visit Ms. Rinoa in her chambers, yet the General has strictly forbidden her leaving them."

Squall was beginning to feel like coming to see Rinoa had not been the best decision. "I just wanted to know when our tutoring sessions will be returning. If that's a problem, then I can leave."

Nancy shook her head with a wry smile. "What the General doesn't know can't hurt him. You go on up, Mr. Leonhart. I'll keep watch."

Squall just stared at her, dumbfounded. "Excuse me?"

"I said go on up. Ms. Rinoa's room is the last door on the right. Don't be long," she said with a wink, pushing him over to the staircase.

Feeling dazed, Squall made his way up the stairs. Now he was _really_ feeling like this had all been a bad idea. He was sure that Rinoa would be anything but happy to find him in her room, and if the General found out, he was sure to be out of a job. With a shake of his head, Squall walked down the hall until he had reached the last door on the right. Feeling like he was in way over his head, he knocked.

"Come in," Rinoa called, sounding weary.

Squall opened the door hesitantly and was immediately met with the sight of Rinoa's shocked face. "Mr. Leonhart?" she asked, hurriedly straightening up in her bed.

Squall nodded. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Uh, no, come on in."

The air hung heavily between them the moment Squall entered the room. Rinoa's cheeks were flushed and she looked downright embarrassed. Squall couldn't help feeling that she looked incredibly cute in such a vulnerable position.

"How are you feeling?" Squall asked, breaking the silence.

"Much better. The rest has really helped. I'll have to talk to my father about continuing with our lessons."

Squall raised an eyebrow. "You almost sound happy about that."

"Well, I am," she said automatically, and then realized how that could come across. "I mean, I've been bored out of my mind."

"Ah, so you do find my lectures interesting," Squall said with a faint smile.

Rinoa just shrugged. "I suppose they're better than being cooped up in here."

"I guess you'd rather fall asleep during our sessions, then."

"Hey," Rinoa said indignantly, "I've never fallen asleep during a lesson."

"But you've come awfully close."

"Did you come here to argue with me, Mr. Leonhart?"

"No, I came here upon the express wishes of your friend, Selphie."

"Oh, God," Rinoa moaned, "What did she say to you?"

"Well, she seemed pretty insistent on my coming to see you. I also could have sworn I heard her say something along the lines of 'Rinoa loves Mr. Leonhart'."

"I am going to kill her!" Rinoa exclaimed, burying her head in her hands. "Listen, Mr. Leonhart, I swear I never said that. Selphie just has an overactive imagination."

Squall laughed, a real, genuine laugh, and Rinoa could swear that her heart stopped. That's when she knew that she was in trouble. "I knew better than to take her seriously," Squall assured her. "I think you've made it clear how you feel about me."

Rinoa looked down at her hands guiltily. She had definitely said some things to him that she wasn't proud of. Then again, he hadn't been so polite himself. Rinoa suddenly felt extremely angry. Sure, he had been nice to her the past few days, but did that really change his true personality? She was too tired to be playing games.

"I owe you an apology," Squall said abruptly, seeming to sense her change in attitude. "I should have never agreed to that bet."

"Please," Rinoa said, rolling her eyes. "I initiated the whole thing, and I was the one who was so intent on studying. You might have other things to apologize for, but agreeing to the bet is not one of them."

"You have a way with words, I'll give you that."

"But are my words wrong?"

Squall shrugged. "It depends on your definition of decency."

"Forget it. You're not the type of person to admit that you've done something wrong."

"Like you?"

Rinoa rubbed her eyes wearily. "I suggest that you get going, Mr. Leonhart. My father will be home soon, and if he finds you here, you're going to lose that paycheck that you love so much."

She had a point, but Squall found that he was surprisingly reluctant to leave. Bickering with Rinoa was turning out to be more fun than he had anticipated. "Are you that anxious to get rid of me?"

"Yes, she is," a voice snapped from the doorway, "So why don't you get the hell out."


	7. Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, guys! Hopefully I'll be able to start picking up the pace with updates!

Midnight Song

Chapter Six

**"It's all shallow and all so appealing now  
I'm up to my ankles and I'm drowning anyway in a sea of  
Sarcastic faces  
Familiar places  
Everything looks quite the same here it's  
All confusingly amusing  
Bitter and tainted  
The picture you painted to me..."**

**-"Only One" Lifehouse **

TWO pairs of eyes traveled over to the doorway to find Seifer standing there, an angry scowl upon his face. Neither Squall nor Rinoa said a word, both caught completely off guard. This only seemed to anger Seifer further, as he took another step into the room.

Just then, Nancy came running down the hall. "Ms. Rinoa, I'm so sorry. The boy just snuck right by me!" she huffed.

Rinoa shook her head. "I can't believe you, Seifer. What gives you the right to come barging in here? I thought I made it perfectly clear that I never wanted to see you again."

"I kept my distance from you, Rinoa, and look where it's gotten you. Shacking up with Leonhart, just as I predicted," Seifer spat.

Rinoa closed her eyes, fighting for composure. "I'm not sure what else I can say to make myself clear. My relationship with Mr. Leonhart is none of your business. I broke up with you, remember? I don't have to justify anything to you, and I don't have to deal with you intruding on my personal life. I've had quite enough of that from you, and I'm more than sick of it. You're the one who needs to get the hell out, Seifer, not Mr. Leonhart."

Seifer looked at her in disbelief, and then turned his angry gaze toward Squall. "I warned you, Squall. I _fucking _warned you. Now you're going to have to suffer the consequences."

Squall returned his stare, completely unfazed. "Did you get that line out of one of your action movies?" he asked coolly.

"That's it!" he roared, charging at Squall.

"Stop it!" Rinoa screamed as Squall dodged the blow. "Seifer, I told you to leave, so get your sorry ass out of here!"

Seifer completely ignored Rinoa's pleas, once again charging at Squall. This time, Squall fought back, shoving Seifer to the ground. Rinoa and Nancy watched in horror as the two men engaged in a fierce battle. No amount of protesting on either of their parts was going to make a difference. Both Seifer and Squall were locked in their own world, a world that consisted of a strong thirst for blood. Neither man would be satisfied until they emerged as the winner.

"I told you not to stick your nose where it didn't belong," Seifer said angrily. "But you couldn't fucking listen, could you?"

Squall said nothing, continuing to block Seifer's onslaught. Rinoa couldn't help noticing that he seemed extremely skilled as a fighter. It didn't really surprise her, though. Even though Squall was her tutor, he was also supposed to teach her the art of self-defense. That obviously required skill on his part. Rinoa was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Seifer pulling a knife out of his pocket. Before she was able to fully comprehend what was happening, Squall was on the ground, a knife thrust against his throat.

"Ready to die, Squall?" Seifer raised the knife above his head slowly.

"NO!" Rinoa screamed, and before she knew what she was doing, she had jumped out of her bed and flung herself across Squall.

"What the hell are you doing, Rinoa?" Seifer demanded.

"You're not going to kill him, Seifer. If you want to kill Squall, then you'll have to kill me," Rinoa told him, staring straight into his eyes to show him how serious she was.

"And so the true nature of your relationship is revealed. I have to admit, you almost had me fooled with all the 'Mr. Leonhart' crap," Seifer sneered.

"I mean it, Seifer. I'm not going to move, so you can either kill me or put the knife down."

"You'd die for him, Rinoa?" Seifer asked, looking slightly hurt. "No questions asked?"

"No questions asked," Rinoa said, raising her head defiantly.

"I always knew you were a slut," Seifer spat. "Your little innocent act can only get you so far. You know, Squall, it's too bad you'll never have the chance to find out. She can be quite the little devil, if you know what I mean."

"You're a bastard," Squall said, staring at him coldly.

"But I'm the bastard who is going to kill you." Seifer smiled cruelly.

"Go to hell!" Nancy screamed, smashing a vase over his head from behind. Seifer immediately fell over, practically on top of Rinoa, who was just able to inch out of the way. "Are you alright, Ms. Rinoa?"

Rinoa nodded shakily. "I'm fine." She then remembered that Squall was still under her. "Oh my God, Squall, are you okay?"

Squall nodded. "That's the third time that you've called me by my first name."

"What? No I didn't."

"Actually, Ms. Rinoa," Nancy piped up, "You did."

"Oh," Rinoa said, turning red, "It must have slipped out. I'm sorry."

Squall shook his head. "Don't be."

"Ahem," Nancy said, clearing her throat, "I hate to break things up, but Mr. Seifer isn't going to be knocked out forever. Plus, the General will be home soon, and I don't know what he'd say if he saw you two in that, um, position."

Squall and Rinoa both blushed upon realizing their close proximity, and what it must look like. "Sorry," Rinoa said again, "I, uh, forgot we were still down here."

Unfortunately, General Caraway chose that moment to walk through the door, before either one of them could do anything to remedy the situation.

GENERAL Caraway paced back and forth, scowling angrily. He still had not spoken a word to his daughter, who was seated in front of him on the couch. As soon as he had stepped into Rinoa's room and witnessed the scene before him, he had pointed to Squall, and in a voice eerily cold, had uttered two words: "Out. Now." Squall had left without a word, knowing better than to argue with him. By that time, Seifer had woken up, and was promptly escorted off the premises by Nancy.

To Rinoa, Caraway hadn't said a word, choosing to send his messages through Nancy. Ten minutes after Caraway had locked himself in the study, Rinoa was summoned there. So now she just sat there, watching her father's endless march back and forth. Her father had always been so predictable. When he was angry, he let it be known. That was why his behavior right now was all the more startling to Rinoa. When he was angry, she knew what to anticipate and could brace herself accordingly. Now, however, every move was uncharted, and that scared her more than anything. _No_, she thought, _More than most things, but not anything._ Nothing could scare her more than the events that had just transpired in her room.

"Am I a bad father?" Caraway asked suddenly, still pacing back and forth. Before Rinoa could answer, he continued on. "I know I've been strict with you, but it has always been for your own good. Yet this is the way you repay me."

"Father, please let me explain. It's not what it seems."

"Explain?" Caraway asked in disbelief, "What possible explanation could there be? You have shamed me, Rinoa."

Rinoa closed her eyes, trying to erase the sting of his words. She knew that she hadn't done anything wrong, but it didn't change the fact that his words were hurtful. "Father, you're not listening to me. All I ask is that you just hear what I have to say."

"Fine," Caraway grumbled, finally stopping in front of Rinoa. "Enlighten me."

"Nothing improper happened. I was resting in my room, just like you ordered, when Mr. Leonhart dropped by to see how I was. Somehow, Seifer snuck by Nancy, saw the two of us together, and went crazy. He attacked Mr. Leonhart, and I tried to break up the fight. Nancy eventually knocked him out by hitting him with a vase. _That's _what happened."

Caraway stared at her in shock. "Did Seifer hurt you?"

Rinoa shook her head. "No. He tried to, verbally, at least, but Mr. Leonhart protected me. He's a hero, Father, not a criminal."

The General sighed, collapsing into a chair across from Rinoa. "Fine, I apologize for jumping to conclusions. I assume Nancy can verify this story?"

"Yes. She witnessed the whole thing."

"Very well. However, there is something else we must discuss about Mr. Leonhart."

Rinoa looked at him in surprise, unsure of what that discussion could entail. "Okay."

"I do not want you to get the wrong idea about your tutor. I know how you are, Rinoa. You fill your head with foolish notions of heroes and romance. Your mother was the same way. Do not let yourself be fooled by Mr. Leonhart."

"Excuse me?" Rinoa felt even more dumbfounded. "Fooled by what?"

"Don't misconstrue Mr. Leonhart's motives for protecting you. He is just doing his job," Caraway told her.

Rinoa narrowed her eyes. "His job is to be my tutor. I don't know what part of that job description involves protecting me."

"It doesn't, but-" He was suddenly cut off by the phone ringing. "Excuse me for a moment." He walked over to the phone and answered it. After a minute, he turned to Rinoa. "I need to take this call. We'll finish this discussion later."

Nodding, Rinoa left the room. She had the feeling that her father had been about to drop a bomb on her. Of course, she prayed to be mistaken, but a feeling of dread had built up inside of her. No matter what it was, she had no choice but to wait. Her father would reveal the truth to her eventually. The question was, was she ready to hear that truth?

THAT night proved to be an extremely difficult one for Rinoa. Her father had spent the remainder of the day in his office, making calls to various political figureheads and perusing important documents. Rinoa had grown accustomed to the fact that her father couldn't offer her his full attention, but right now, she hated it more than ever. She was dying to know what he had meant by not being fooled by Squall. What was there to be fooled by? Of all the people in her life, Squall seemed to be the one person she could count on to always be honest with her.

Thoughts of the fight earlier in the day suddenly occupied her mind. Would Seifer have really killed Squall? At the time, he had seemed pretty serious. Would he have killed her, too, if Nancy hadn't stopped him? Rinoa shuddered at the thought. How could she have ever trusted him, have feelings for him, even? She couldn't believe how wrong she had been in judging him. Not only had it almost gotten her killed, but it had almost gotten Squall killed, and that was completely unacceptable.

Rinoa sighed. _When did I start to become so concerned with Squall? _It seemed like her feelings toward him had changed overnight. Just like that, he had gone from being 'Mr. Leonhart' to 'Squall'. At least in her mind. The only times she had been bold enough to call him by his first name was when under stress or fear. That had been an instant reaction, though, so she couldn't really count it. Of course, she always had to refer to Squall in the proper way when talking to her father. She could just imagine the speculation a slip up would ignite, especially after today. It was surprising that the General hadn't reacted in a more extreme way. Perhaps his work had him preoccupied.

Rinoa curled up on her side, clutching the covers to her chest. She wanted so desperately to be able to sleep and wash away all the occurrences of the day. However, the moment she closed her eyes, the image of the knife pointing at Squall's throat came into view before her. She could still feel the sheer terror that had encompassed her in that moment, knowing that Squall could possibly die. Even she couldn't explain her actions in placing herself between Squall and the knife. The only thought in her head had been that she had to do something. She refused to sit back and watch Squall die. Why she had put her own life on the line still remained a mystery. When Seifer had asked her if she would die for Squall, no questions asked, she had replied that she would, without the slightest hesitation. Why was that? What was it about him that had caused her to behave so irrationally?

Rinoa shook her head; she didn't have the answers she was so desperately trying to find. All she knew was that that morning had been a turning point. Something had come over her when she saw that knife, and that was when everything had changed. Her life had suddenly seemed insignificant in comparison to Squall's, and she had been driven by an overpowering urge to do everything in her power to protect him. It confused and scared her, but that didn't change its being there. For reasons that were beyond her comprehension, she felt a bond with Squall, and it definitely wasn't one a student should be feeling for her tutor. With yet another sigh, Rinoa buried her head deeper into the pillow. Rest would clear her mind. In the morning, maybe everything would be back to normal.

YET again, Squall Leonhart found that he couldn't sleep, and yet again, it was because of a certain dark haired beauty who was supposed to be his student. 'Supposed to be' being the operative words. What he had been feeling towards her lately was anything but what a teacher should be feeling towards his student. The events that had transpired that morning had only served to intensify the feelings he had been trying so hard to deny. For God's sake, she had risked her life for him. She had risked _her life _for _him_. No matter how many times he said it, Squall still couldn't come to terms with it. Why anyone would want to do such a thing was completely beyond him.

He could still feel her heart beating against his chest; the only sign of her fear. She had faced Seifer so calmly that he wouldn't have suspected a thing if it hadn't been for that steady pounding. It wasn't her fear that had stayed with him, though. It had been her words that had completely turned him inside out. The way she had looked Seifer straight in the eye and, without the slightest hesitation, confirmed what he had been asking; that she would die for Squall without a second thought. When had things between them gotten so serious? For God's sake, he had been under the impression that she hated him. None of it made any sense. You didn't risk your life for someone you hated.

The only explanation Squall had was that Rinoa had saved his life in order to spite Seifer. They had recently broken up, and after the way he had acted that morning, it was only natural that she would want to pay him back. From what he heard from Seifer, it seemed that the breakup had something to do with Seifer's skewed view of the relationship between Rinoa and himself. Therefore, the best way to piss him off would be to play upon his initial anger. That had to be what Rinoa was thinking when she had thrown herself on top of him. It really had nothing to do with him at all.

Regardless of her reasons, it was unacceptable. He was the one who should be risking his life for her, not the other way around. If Caraway found out what had really happened, Squall would surely be out of a job. He didn't know what Rinoa had told her father, but things hadn't looked too good when he left. He supposed that he would have to wait until tomorrow to find out.

The phone beside Squall's bed suddenly rang, interrupting his thoughts. A glance at the clock revealed it to be twelve twenty-three. Who would be calling at this time?

"Hello?" he answered irritably.

_"Squall?"_

"Quistis?"

_"Yes, it's me," she replied._

Squall sighed. "Why are you calling me so late?"

_"I needed to talk to you and this is the first opportunity I've had to call. I apologize for how late it is, however, I think you'll be interested in what I have to say."_

"What is it?"

_"I heard about what happened this morning. Rinoa's life was put in danger because of Seifer Almasy, but also because of you," Quistis told him._

"How the hell did you find out about that?" Squall snapped, choosing to ignore her choice of words.

_"I have my sources. How I found out isn't important. What's important is how close you came to jeopardizing Rinoa's life. You were hired for a reason, Squall. Don't fail us now."_

Something in Quistis' tone was really starting to piss him off. "Do you think I told her to risk her life for me? She made that choice. I had nothing to do with it."

_"You're wrong, Squall. Whether you wanted to or not, you've caused Rinoa to care about you, so much, in fact, that she is willing to die for you. It needs to stop."_

"What the hell do you want me to do?" Squall snapped. "This doesn't have to have anything to do with me. Did you ever think that this could all be caused by her anger towards Seifer?"

_"That's not the case and you know it. Listen, Squall, I don't want to fight with you. Consider this a warning to stop what ever it is you're doing that is making Rinoa care about you. You know what your job is, so carry it out. I'll be keeping an eye on things."_

"I don't need this shit from you, Quistis, and I don't appreciate you waking me up to lecture me."

_"You can deny it all you want, but you know that my lecture is justified. Oh, and one more thing. I know I couldn't have woken you up since you weren't asleep in the first place. So I guess I should apologize for interrupting your brooding. Goodnight, Squall."_

Squall slammed the phone down angrily. Leave it to Quistis to stick her nose where it didn't belong. "Goddamn woman," he grumbled before burying his head in his pillow and praying for sleep to claim him.

THE next morning, Squall arrived at the Caraway Mansion, hardly thrilled to be there. Having to face the General was not an appealing thought, but even less appealing was knowing he would have to face Rinoa. Quistis' words from the night before had buried themselves in his head. He hated what she had said to him, but she had had a point. He had been far too kind to Rinoa lately. Such behavior would only get the both of them in trouble. It was time to put a stop to such things.

Once again, Nancy led him into the house. She looked more somber than usual, causing Squall to wonder if Caraway had punished her for yesterday. "The General wishes to speak with you in his office," Nancy informed him. "Please follow me."

_Great_, Squall thought as he followed Nancy down the hall. _Time to get chewed out and fired. Guess I don't have to worry about Rinoa after all. _Nancy stopped outside of a door that Squall knew led into Caraway's office.

"Good luck," Nancy said quietly before turning around and heading back the way they had come.

Squall sighed, and then reached out to knock on the door. "Come in," Caraway called gruffly.

The first thing Squall noticed when he opened the door was the expressionless gaze Caraway was giving him. Squall was unable to read anything in that look. He hated when someone caught him off-guard.

"Allow me to be frank with you," Caraway began before Squall had a chance to sit down. "Rinoa informed me of what transpired yesterday. You have my utmost gratitude for protecting me daughter."

_Utmost gratitude? _Squall thought. _What has Rinoa been telling him? _"Thank you, Sir, but I was only doing my job."

"Ah, I am glad that you said that," Caraway told him approvingly. "The thing is, I believe my daughter has come to harbor...certain feelings towards you because of the way you have protected her. Now, I know I told you that you were not, under any circumstances, to reveal to Rinoa that you are also her bodyguard. However, I have come to the conclusion that it would be best to tell her the truth."

Squall was surprised by what the General had told him, but he just nodded. "I agree, Sir."

"Excellent. I was in the middle of informing Rinoa yesterday, but I was interrupted by business. Now that I think about it, I believe it would be better if you told her."

"Me, Sir?"

Caraway nodded. "Yes. She has come to trust you. In any event, I am sure that you can get a more subdued reaction out of her. I, on the other hand, would only serve to anger her."

_Who is he kidding? He expects me to do his dirty work for him. Damn coward. _"I mean no disrespect, Sir, but I don't think that she would be any more inclined to hear the truth from me."

"Don't question my authority, Leonhart. I know my daughter, and I know what goes on in that head of hers. Just do as I tell you and we won't have any problems."

Squall nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"Good. I am glad that we understand each other. Rinoa is waiting for you in the study."

Just like that, Squall was dismissed. He couldn't help feeling annoyed at the way the General ordered him about. If he wasn't receiving such a hefty paycheck, he wouldn't put up with it. Now, though, he had to deal with breaking the truth to Rinoa. Despite what the General had said, her reaction would be anything but pretty. In fact, she would probably hate him for his deception. Why that thought actually bothered him, he did not understand.

When he walked into the study, he couldn't help noticing that Rinoa's face lit up the moment she saw him. Then, before he had a chance to respond, she had run across the room and flung herself into his arms.

"Squall," she said happily, "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Squall frowned, slowly extracting himself from her embrace. This was going to be harder than he had anticipated. "Miss Heartilly, I've told you before. Please refer to me as Mr. Leonhart."

Rinoa looked up at him, a hurt expression on her face. "I'm sorry," she said. "I thought you didn't mind."

"Well, I do," he told her coldly.

"What's gotten into you all of a sudden? I thought things were different now."

"Why, because I stood up for you yesterday? That doesn't change a thing. I was just doing my job."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Rinoa asked angrily. "It's not your job. Your job is to be my tutor."

"No," Squall said, shaking his head. "It is my job."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your father didn't just hire me to be your tutor, Miss Heartilly. He also hired me to be your personal bodyguard."

"What?" Rinoa said, taking a step back. "You're joking."

"No," Squall said, shaking his head, "I assure you I am not."

"So it was all a lie, then? You never gave a damn about me? It was all a job to you?" she whispered.

"Miss Heartilly, I-"

"No, _Mr. Leonhart_, I want you to answer my question right now."

Squall sighed. "Yes. I tried to tell you before, but you weren't willing to listen. I don't care about you, nor have I ever cared about you." He looked her straight in the eyes, burning her with his coldness. "You are nothing but a job to me, Miss Heartilly."


	8. Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: This chapter was actually really hard for me to write. I started it about three different times, and basically hated the beginning of every one. I finally stuck with this one, and I hope it isn't too horrible. I'm still not crazy with this chapter as a whole, but it's something, right? Also, I am going to be posting previews of upcoming chapters in my livejournal. For details on that, please see my profile. Thanks!

Midnight Song

Chapter Seven

"**_I don't know where I'm going _**

_**Only know where I been **_

_**But you move through my soul like a hurricane wind **_

_**We've been so lost for so long **_

_**I don't know how to get back again **_

_**And we're drowning in the water **_

_**That flows under this bridge **_

_**When you're fighting the current **_

_**You forget how to live **_

_**And I wanted to reach you but I don't know where to begin ..."**_

_**-"Feel The Silence" Goo Goo Dolls**_

RINOA blinked, feeling as if she had just been slapped in the face. The world all around her seemed to stop, burning the image of Squall's icy glare into her brain. He was still standing there, as immovable as a rock. How could he be so indifferent? Didn't it mean anything to him that he was breaking her heart?

"How could you?" Rinoa demanded, her feelings of hurt quickly transferring into anger. "What gives you the right to toy with another human being?"

"You thought I was toying with you?" Squall asked, his voice chilled and detached.

"Unless you have another word for it, yes, I do."

Squall shook his head. "I never toyed with you. You saw things how you wanted to, end of story."

"That is such _bullshit_!" Rinoa exclaimed, glaring at Squall in anger. "You keep saying that this is all just a job to you, but your actions speak differently. What do you call taking me to see Clarissa?"

"I call it my job," he said flatly.

"Fuck you and your job!" Rinoa screamed, reaching her breaking point. "You know what, you're a coward! You could have told me that my father had hired you to be my bodyguard from the start. I would have accepted that. Instead, you had to go out of your way to act like a royal jackass!"

Squall was surprised by her choice of language, but he refused to show it. If he let himself waver now, all would be lost. "Arguing with you is pointless. You know how I feel about the situation, Miss Heartilly. It will be much easier for everyone if you accept the way things are."

Rinoa shook her head. "To think that I actually cared about you. What a fool I was."

"Miss Heartilly-"

"No, I don't want to hear it. We're done, Mr. Leonhart. I never want to see you again."

Squall watched as she turned around and fled from the room, never looking back. Going after her was pointless, no matter how strongly his heart insisted otherwise. Quistis and Caraway had both been right in their suspicions. No matter how hard he had tried to deny it, he could no longer avoid the truth. Squall Leonhart had developed feelings for his student.

"Dammit!" Squall roared, slamming his fist into the wall. What the hell was he supposed to do? A romantic relationship between he and Rinoa was out of the question for a number of reasons. The most prominent one being his employment to her father. What other choice did he have but to put a rift between them? If he hadn't stopped things now, they would have grown out of control.

Still, it didn't mean that he liked the situation. There was no denying that he and Rinoa had come a long way since their first lesson. Now, however, they were back to square one. If she had hated him off the bat, imagine what she would think of him now. Maybe it would all be easier if he just quit. _No_, Squall thought irritably, _That wouldn't work._ It suddenly hit him that he didn't want to face the thought of never seeing Rinoa again. No matter how angry she was at him, facing her again seemed like a far better fate than not seeing her at all.

"What is going on in here?" Caraway asked as he entered the room. "I thought I heard screaming."

He _thought _he heard screaming? Squall wanted to punch the old man in the face for the innocent expression he was wearing. Instead, he simply said, "I told her."

"Ah," Caraway said, chuckling a bit. "I see she didn't take it very well."

"What did you expect?" Squall snapped. "She was lied to."

Caraway narrowed his eyes. "Do not forget who you work for, boy."

"From what your daughter just said to me, I have a feeling that I won't be working for you much longer."

"Let me handle Rinoa. She knows better than to act against my wishes."

Squall highly doubted that, but chose not to voice his opinion. "Whatever. Give me a call when you've straightened this out. I'm leaving."

With a shake of his head, Squall walked out the door, wishing that he could just quit the job altogether. He was sick and tired of being the General's puppet. It was his fault that Rinoa had been hurt. It was also his fault that Squall cared. He was beginning to feel like agreeing to this job had been the biggest mistake of his life.

SITTING alone on a park bench, Rinoa finally let her tears fall. She had refused to cry in front of him, but now she was free to do whatever she wanted. And what she wanted more than anything was to cry her heart out.

Squall's words still echoed in her head, causing the pain to stab at her chest. How could he have been so cruel? Even when she had first met him, and thought him to be one of the rudest people she had ever seen, she hadn't taken him for a cruel person. In fact, as of late, he had proven to be quite the opposite. Had it all been an act, then? A show put on to earn a hefty paycheck? It was the last thing Rinoa wanted to believe, yet Squall had just made it perfectly clear that it was a reality.

"How could I have been so _stupid_?" Rinoa berated herself. She had allowed herself to get close to him. Maybe her father was right. Maybe she did set her mind on ideas of a fairytale romance. Had she been so desperate for her own happy ending that she had created a relationship out of thin air? No, it couldn't have been her imagination. The way he had acted around her...he had to have felt something, too.

_Stop it! _her mind screamed. Again, she was trying to turn fantasy into reality. Squall Leonhart didn't give a damn about her, and the sooner she realized it, the better off she would be. She would tell her father to hire a new tutor, and if that didn't work, she would simply have to endure. She refused to let a jerk like Squall triumph over her. Oh, but she still couldn't turn off her feelings. That was going to take some time.

There was still one thing that she couldn't seem to get over; risking her life for him. Every time Squall had done something nice for her, or protected her in some way, he viewed it as his job. The joke was, she would have died for him on the spot. Died for a man who thought of her as nothing but a means to an end. It had never been serious for him, but it had sure as hell been serious for her. So serious that it hurt. At that, a fresh batch of tears poured from Rinoa's eyes. She realized then that she would have done anything for him. Anything at all.

"Damn you, Squall!" she screamed while slamming her fist into the wooden bench.

"I'm glad you've come to your senses!" an amused voice exclaimed.

Rinoa looked up to find Seifer standing there, smiling down on her triumphantly. "What are you doing here?" she asked wearily, too exhausted to be angry.

Seifer shrugged. "Just taking a walk." He sat down beside her on the bench. "Wanna tell me why you're crying?"

"No," Rinoa said, turning away from him.

"Alright, I can respect that, but from what I've heard, it seems like Leonhart has something to do with it."

Rinoa turned back around to glare at him. "Don't start, Seifer. I said I don't want to talk about it."

"Alright," Seifer said, smirking slightly, "There are other things we can talk about."

"Actually, I'd rather not talk to you at all."

"Come on, baby," Seifer whispered, stroking the side of her face. "I'm sorry. I was just jealous. I knew Leonhart would try to take advantage of someone like you."

"Someone like me?" Rinoa repeated, suddenly frozen to the spot.

Seifer nodded. "Someone smart," he said, kissing her forehead, "Beautiful," he kissed the tip of her nose, "And so damn sexy." He looked her straight in the eyes before kissing her full on the mouth.

Rinoa froze at first, unsure of what to do. This was _Seifer_, after all, the man who had tried to kill Squall, not to mention her. As Seifer deepened the kiss, however, Rinoa felt her self control waver, and she allowed her lips to part, making way for his probing tongue. Her hands automatically curled around his neck, drawing him closer to her.

They broke apart for a moment, both breathing heavily. Seifer's eyes were heavy with desire, and what had started out as something to spite Squall had suddenly turned into something real. He had forgotten how beautiful she was.

"I want you," he whispered, easing her onto her back. Rinoa didn't say a word, just closed her eyes in silent compliance.

Seifer began to nibble at her neck, rolling his tongue over the pale, soft skin. Rinoa began to whimper, and Seifer hushed her with a kiss. He returned to sucking on her neck, while his hands found their way under her shirt. He immediately set to work, unlatching her bra, and letting his hands roam over her round, soft breasts. When they had still been together, he had always fantasized of having her, and now that fantasy would be turned into a reality. Rinoa moaned as he began to trace patterns across the most sensitive part of her flesh. For some reason, Squall's face suddenly popped into her head, causing her to sit up.

Seifer gave her an exasperated look, clearly not happy to have been interrupted. "What is it?"

"We're in a park," Rinoa blurted out, looking around her in embarrassment. Luckily, there was no one in sight. "We can't do this here."

"Sure we can," Seifer told her, "We were just doing it."

Rinoa shook her head, quickly hooking her bra back into place. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Then come back home with me. We can finish what we started there."

Rinoa shook her head once more. "I have to go. I'm sorry, Seifer."

"Why are you doing this?" Seifer demanded. "Because of Leonhart? You sure as hell weren't thinking of Leonhart a minute ago."

"It's not that," Rinoa told him, quickly standing up. "It just doesn't feel right."

"Because I'm not Leonhart?"

"Because I don't love you!" Rinoa exclaimed.

Seifer was not to be deterred. "You don't need to love me to fuck me, Rinoa."

Rinoa closed her eyes against the anger in his voice. "I'm sorry," she repeated, and once again, she fled from the scene, never looking back.

RINOA was exasperated to find her father waiting by the door for her return. The last thing she felt like doing was getting into a confrontation with him. She felt like she had shed every tear in her body, making way for a steady numbness throughout her body and soul. She was utterly disgusted with herself; for believing that Squall was something he obviously wasn't, for allowing herself to be so weak, and most of all, for what had happened with Seifer. How could she have allowed things to go so far? If she hadn't stopped things when she had, would she be lying next to him, naked, on a park bench? Just the thought made her want to throw up. She had tried to use Seifer to dull the pain of her aching heart, but she had only served to intensify it.

Looking at it rationally, she shouldn't even feel such a strong attachment to Squall. How long had she known him, really? A few weeks? You can't possibly come to know someone in so short a time. If you don't know a person, how can you have feelings for them? _You can't_, Rinoa told herself firmly, _You can't._ If only uttering the words would make their meaning come true. Life would never allow such an easy way out.

"Rinoa," Caraway said quietly, drawing her out of her thoughts. "I need to talk to you."

She wondered how long she had been standing there, staring off into the distance. Did her father wonder what was going through her mind? Did he even care?

"Rinoa, did you hear me?"

"Yes," she replied, bowing her head, "I heard you."

Caraway nodded. "Good. I have to leave for a meeting in a few minutes, so I will make this brief. Mr. Leonhart informed me that he told you about being your bodyguard. From what I heard this morning, I assume you were none too pleased with the news." He glanced at Rinoa for any sign of agreement, but she remained stoic, "Anyway, no matter how angry you are, you must understand that I am doing this for your own good. I will not replace Mr. Leonhart, so you are going to have to deal with him. Understood?"

Rinoa's turn of the head was so slight that Caraway wasn't sure if he had imagined it. "Of course," Rinoa whispered, leaving no room for doubt.

"I am glad we understand each other. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must be going."

Rinoa watched as Caraway retreated, work once again taking precedence over her. Of course she wasn't surprised. She couldn't remember a time when it hadn't been that way. For once, though, she was grateful for it. It saved her the unpleasant task of furthering her conversation with her father, and that was something she couldn't help but be thankful for.

With a sigh, Rinoa turned around and headed upstairs. It was obvious that her lessons had been canceled for the day. Even though she knew that she would have to face Squall sometime, she was immensely relieved that that sometime wouldn't be so soon. She needed time to think and regroup. Most of all, she needed a shower. At that moment, nothing seemed more necessary. Scurrying down the hall, Rinoa prepared to do just that.

THE smell of cigarette smoke mingled with the bitter aroma of alcohol that had become infamous at the Oasis bar in Deling City. Squall Leonhart hated the smell of smoke, but he had had too many shots of whiskey to care. All he wanted was to forget his problems, even if it was just for a few short hours. He needed to erase all his feelings of guilt about what had transpired that morning. He needed to erase the image of Rinoa's pained face.

"You did the right thing, Squall," the voice beside him said quietly.

Squall looked up and could just make out the image of Quistis sliding onto the barstool. "I don't wanna talk to you," he growled.

"I'm sure you don't, but that doesn't change the fact that you have to."

"Have to?" Squall repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Or what? Are you going to come after me, Quistis?"

The blonde sighed. "Why do you think I'm always out to get you? That couldn't be further from the truth. We _are _on the same side, after all."

"Sure doesn't seem like it," Squall mumbled.

"Oh, grow up!" Quistis exclaimed, suddenly losing her patience. "Are you going to pout all day because little Miss Heartilly is mad at you? Be a man, Squall. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you took this job, so stop acting like I'm the bad guy."

"_I _need to grow up?" Squall repeated, shooting her an icy glare. "Look at yourself."

"What are you getting at? I have been more than committed to this mission."

"You're telling me that your insistence that I remain detached to Rinoa was motivated purely by professional gain?"

"Of course," Quistis said without missing a beat. "What else would it be?"

"You and I both know very well what it would be, Quistis," Squall told her spitefully.

"I'm not sure that I follow you," Quistis said quietly.

Squall suddenly slammed his fist into the table, having had quite enough of her games. "I'm talking about your crush on me. Are you going to try and deny that one, too?"

"W-what?" she stammered, caught completely off-guard. "That's ridiculous."

Squall opened his mouth to respond, but immediately forgot what he was going to say as he spotted Seifer walking over to him.

"Hey, Squall," the blond sneered. "Drowning your sorrows away?"

Squall was in no mood to deal with a confrontation with Seifer, and therefore decided that it was high time to leave. "I'm out of here," he mumbled as he stood up.

"Why are you leaving so soon?" Seifer called after him. "Don't you wanna hear about how I nailed your girlfriend?"

All of the noise in the room suddenly came to a halt, as if the crowd sensed that a fight was brewing. Squall stood frozen, stopped in his tracks by Seifer's words. He turned around slowly, fixing the blond with an intense glare the moment their eyes met.

"What did you just say?" Squall said slowly, his voice sounding eerily calm and detached.

"Heh, I knew that would get your attention," Seifer smirked triumphantly. "Why don't you have a seat? Hell, I'll even buy you a drink while I tell you all about my adventure with Rinoa in the park. Damn, she is one wild woman."

The air in the room hung heavily around the two men, as the other patrons of the bar looked on in interest. _Bam! _In the blink of an eye, Squall's fist had connected with Seifer's nose, resulting in a sickening crunch.

"Squall!" Quistis suddenly exclaimed, jumping to her feet.

"Don't ever mention her name again," Squall spat in Seifer's face before turning around and storming out of the bar.

Quistis sighed and then turned her attention toward the other angry man at her side. "Are you alright, Seifer?"

Seifer scowled up at her, "Does it look like I'm alright? And since when do you care?"

"I guess you'll never change, Seifer. I'm beginning to think that you deserved that punch Squall gave you."

"Heh, like you ever really gave a damn about me," Seifer sneered. "Squall was always your number one concern. So go," he said, gesturing towards the front door, "Leave. Go after him, just like you always do. Let me bleed here alone."

Quistis sighed once more, but didn't move towards the door. Instead, she grabbed Seifer's hands, helping him up off the floor. "Come on. We need to get you to a hospital."

"Looks like the Ice Queen has a heart after all," Seifer commented. "Who would have thought?"

"I'm not doing this for you," Quistis snapped. "I'm doing it for Cid. God only knows how the man put up with you."

Seifer just shook his head, but then winced at the pain.

Quistis rolled her eyes. "Come on. Let's get you out of here."

SQUALL stormed down the street, literally drunken with rage. He couldn't believe the nerve of Seifer to track him down and then say such blatant lies about Rinoa. There was no way that she would ever get back together with Seifer. A small part of Squall's mind, however, felt defeated. What if Rinoa really had gone back to Seifer? Had she cared about him so little?

Squall shook his head, trying to push away such thoughts. Why the hell should he care if Rinoa was seeing Seifer or not? She had experienced how much of a psycho he was first hand, so if she wanted to be stupid and put herself in danger, then that was her prerogative. He was through worrying about her. He had been employed by Caraway to protect Rinoa when she was under his care. Well, she would certainly never be under his care when she was with Seifer, so she was free to do whatever the hell she wanted. If Caraway didn't like it, then that was just too fucking bad. From now on, Rinoa was nothing to him but someone he was paid to protect. That was what she should have been from the start. He was a fool for ever thinking she meant something more.

Feeling slightly more comfortable, Squall continued walking at a brisk pace. Even in his intoxicated state, he could still carry on without too much of a problem. It took an extremely large amount of alcohol to reduce the almighty Squall Leonhart, and unfortunately for him, Seifer had interrupted him before things could get that far. Well, it didn't matter, anyway. He could have his own personal drinking party, sans Quistis and her preachy lectures. That was the last thing he needed.

A sudden scream pierced the stillness of the night, causing Squall to come to an abrupt stop. He frowned, trying to gather his bearings and figure out where the scream had come from. A moment later, there it was again. It was definitely a female screaming. At that realization, a sudden feeling of dread began to bubble up inside of Squall, and he found himself running towards it. The alleys of Deling City were impossibly dark at this time of night, thus making Squall's search all the harder. The alcohol he had consumed certainly wasn't helping, either. It seemed like every turn he made was the wrong one, which only proved to increase his frustration. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a faint red glow appeared.

"The hell...?" Squall muttered, moving in closer. He could just make out three figures in the distance.

"Dammit!" a male voice exclaimed. "This is getting ridiculous."

"Stuff it, Echo. We'll find her if we look hard enough," a harsh female voice piped up. "In the meantime, kill the wench."

The third person was pulled out of the shadows, and for a split second, her face was illuminated. Recognition hit Squall head on. It was Rinoa's friend, Selphie something or other. What the hell were these people going to do to her?

"Hey!" Squall shouted, drawing his gunblade and charging toward the figures, who immediately began to run. By the time Squall reached the end of the alley, they had vanished. "Dammit," he murmured.

He suddenly remembered Selphie and turned around to look for her. She was sitting on the ground, her back pressed up against the hard stone wall. Although the lighting was bad, Squall could tell that she was trembling.

"Hey," he said, approaching her slowly. "Are you okay?"

Selphie looked up at him, eyes wide, with no sign of comprehension. Shakily, she stood up, and Squall reached out to help her steady herself.

"Wow, Rinoa was right," she murmured before passing out, just as the giant clock in the square struck midnight.


	9. Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VIII...

Author's Note: Once again, I apologize for how long it has taken me to update this. I have pretty much decided that this will be something I work on whenever I have some free time, or in the mood to write something pertaining to Squall and Rinoa. Therefore, I can't really say when updates are going to be. I just want to thank you all so much for sticking with me! It honestly means the world to me.

Midnight Song

Chapter Eight

_**"My head lies to my heart  
And my heart it still believes  
It seems the ones who love us are the ones  
That we deceive  
But you're changing everything  
You're changing everything in me..."**_

_**-"Without You Here" Goo Goo Dolls**_

RINOA was beginning to feel uncomfortable with the amount of time she was spending at the Deling City Hospital as of late. First Clarissa, and now Selphie. Who would be next? It seemed as if everyone close to her was getting hurt.

With a sigh, Rinoa climbed the front steps of the hospital once more. A strong feeling of deja vu encompassed her, which wasn't very surprising considering that her initial trip to visit Clarissa had occurred at about the same time. Once again, Rinoa had woken up to Caraway's summoning, and once again, bad news awaited her. The only difference this time had been the presence of Squall. After recounting, in brief detail, what had happened with Selphie, Squall had left abruptly, telling Rinoa he would meet her at the hospital in a little while. Rinoa certainly had no intention of waiting around for that to happen, so she had left the house as soon as possible. Her hope was to be long gone before Squall ever stepped foot near the hospital.

As Rinoa walked down the hall that she had come to know so well in the past few weeks, she couldn't help thinking back to her earlier encounter with Squall. The guy had looked exhausted, and from what Rinoa could gather from his story, he had been up all night. All he had said, though, was that he had found Selphie passed out in an alley, and then took her to the hospital. Obviously, he had left out some details, but from the stench of alcohol that had seemed to radiate from him, that wasn't surprising. What _was _surprising was that Rinoa had actually been worried to see him like that. She had grown so accustomed to seeing the professional and put together side of him that it was unsettling to see him looking so disheveled. She wondered what had caused him to reduce himself to such a state, but couldn't reach any conclusions.

All thoughts of Squall were immediately pushed to the side as Rinoa reached Selphie's room. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself for the worst before slowly edging the door open. The first emotion to bubble to the surface upon seeing Selphie was a sense of profound shock. The scene before Rinoa was one so startlingly different than what she had witnessed with Clarissa that she was unsure of how to react.

"Rinoa!" Selphie exclaimed from her seated position on the bed. "I know I'm wearing this icky hospital gown, but do I really look that bad? I mean, you look like you've just seen a ghost!"

Tears suddenly sprang to Rinoa's eyes, and she found herself running over to her friend. "Oh, Selphie," Rinoa sobbed, engulfing her in a tight hug, "I'm so glad you're alright."

Selphie's eyes widened with surprise as she hugged Rinoa back. "Hey, it's alright! I'm fine!"

"I was just so worried. First Clarissa, and now you. It seems like everyone I care about is getting hurt."

"But I'm not hurt," Selphie insisted, "And it's all because of Mr. Leonhart. He really saved me."

"Saved you?" Rinoa asked, frowning. "I thought he found you after you had passed out."

Selphie shook her head. "No way! These...people were going to kill me, but then Mr. Leonhart stepped in and chased them off. If he hadn't shown up right then, I wouldn't be talking to you right now," she said, shivering.

"Oh my God," Rinoa said in disbelief. "He never said a word about that."

"Maybe he's modest?" Selphie suggested. "The reason doesn't matter. He's a hero, Rin. In all matters concerning Mr. Leonhart, I say you go for it."

Rinoa had no chance to respond as Irvine walked into the room, followed by Squall, who looked a hell of a lot better than when Rinoa had seen him earlier. He must have gone home to freshen up, but that still hadn't stopped him from reaching the hospital in record time. So much for avoiding him.

"Hey, Rinoa," Irvine greeted before walking over to Selphie and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"As I was just telling Rinoa, I feel perfectly fine."

Irvine nodded. "The doctors want to run a few more tests, but if the results are good, you might be able to be discharged tonight."

Selphie smiled. "Awesome! I can finally get out of this horrible gown." Her attention suddenly turned to Squall, who was still standing by the door, looking very uncomfortable. "Mr. Leonhart, I don't know how to thank you. You saved my life."

"You don't need to thank me," Squall told her, running a hand through his hair. "I just happened to be at the right place at the right time."

"Oh, please. You could have just kept on walking, but you didn't."

Squall shrugged. "It really wasn't a big deal."

"But Mr. Leonhart-"

"Selphie, leave the poor guy alone. You're embarrassing him," Irvine told her.

Selphie pouted, but did as she was told, much to the relief of Squall. Apparently Selphie had been onto something in regard to Squall's modesty. For all Rinoa knew, though, saving Selphie could have just been another detail of the job description. Why should it even matter? Squall had made his feelings on the subject perfectly clear, so it was foolish to dwell on them.

"Rinoa, did you hear what I just said?"

Rinoa looked up to meet Selphie's questioning gaze. "No, I didn't. Sorry."

Selphie laughed. "Maybe you're the one who should be getting checked out," she joked. "I just said that you should probably get going. I don't want to get into trouble with your dad."

"He knows I'm here," Rinoa assured her. "For once, I don't think he'll care if I take my time."

"Maybe he won't, but..." She nodded towards Squall, "He might."

Rinoa shrugged. "I don't really care what he thinks."

"Aw, come on, Rin," Selphie whispered, "He did save my life."

"Oh, alright," Rinoa told her reluctantly, not looking for the least bit happy about it, "But I'm only doing this for you."

"That's what makes you such a great friend," Selphie grinned.

"Yeah, right." Rinoa turned around to face Squall. "Are you ready to go?"

Squall couldn't hide his surprise that she was actually talking to him, but only nodded in response.

"Alright, Selphie, it looks like we're gonna go. Get better soon, okay? Call me when they discharge you."

"I will."

"Bye Irvine." With a wave, Rinoa exited the room, with Squall following behind on her heels.

"Why didn't you tell me that you saved Selphie's life last night?" Rinoa demanded after taking a few steps.

"There was nothing to tell," Squall replied.

"Nothing to tell? Are you kidding me? Selphie would have died if you hadn't stepped in!"

"I saw that she was in trouble, so I helped her. Like I said, no big deal."

Rinoa shook her head. "Why can't you just accept that you're a hero?"

"Because I'm not!" Squall snapped. "Will you just drop it?"

"Fine," Rinoa said angrily. "Have it your way."

They continued to walk on in silence, both too annoyed with the other to bother with small talk. As they reached the lobby, however, they were met with a sight that neither of them had expected to find. Before them stood a very angry looking Seifer, bandaged nose and all. His gaze darkened when he saw Squall and Rinoa together.

"Well, isn't this nice," he sneered, walking over to them. "Back together so soon?"

"What happened to your nose?" Rinoa asked, ignoring his own question.

"Why don't you ask your boyfriend? I'm sure he'd be more than happy to tell you."

Rinoa turned to Squall, confused. "What is he talking about?"

"Nothing," Squall muttered. "Let's go."

"Not up to talking today, Leonhart? Then again, you never were the social type. I have this broken nose to prove it."

"Don't tell me _you _did that to him!" Rinoa exclaimed.

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!" Seifer shouted. "You hit the nail right on the head, Rinoa."

"I know you, Seifer. If Squall did that to you, than he had a reason. So what did you do?"

"I don't know. What did I do, Squall? Rinoa is just dying to know."

"I told you, it's nothing," Squall snapped, clearly irritated. "Let's go, Miss Heartilly."

"No," Rinoa said firmly, standing her ground. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you tell me what happened."

"It's not up for discussion, Miss Heartilly."

"You know, I love a good show and all, but this is getting to be painful. If Leonhart won't bite the bullet, I will." Seifer threw a smirk Squall's way. "Leonhart couldn't resist throwing a punch my way after I told him something he didn't want to hear."

"That's enough, Seifer," Squall growled.

"What did you tell him?" Rinoa asked, completely ignoring Squall.

Seifer suddenly smiled. "I just told him about our little foray in the park."

Rinoa could feel herself turning pale the minute the words left his mouth. "You did _what_?"

"Miss Heartilly!" Squall suddenly grabbed Rinoa's wrist, forcing her to look at him. "Let's go."

This time, Rinoa didn't object, and let herself be dragged away by Squall. She was too shocked to even comprehend where they were going. All she knew was that she was completely horrified that Squall knew what had happened between her and Seifer at the park. How could Seifer have been so cruel? No, forget that. She had seen first-hand how cruel he could be. It was her own fault for letting me take advantage of her. She felt so incredibly stupid for letting things get so out of hand.

A quick glance at Squall revealed him to be just as lost in thought as her. She couldn't even begin to imagine what was going on in his head. In all honesty, she knew she shouldn't care, but that didn't change the fact that she didn't want him to get the wrong idea about her and Seifer. For God's sake, she was still supposed to be pissed off at him, but hearing Selphie talk about how Squall had saved her had really struck a chord. Dammit, Squall Leonhart was making it unbelievably hard to hate him. No matter how clearly Squall made his feelings toward her known, she just couldn't seem to let her own go. It was extremely frustrating.

"Mr. Leonhart?" Rinoa asked quietly, breaking the silence between them.

Squall looked up hesitantly. "What is it?"

"It's, um, about what Seifer said. I just want you to know that there's nothing going on between us."

Squall shrugged. "Why would I care? What you choose to do outside of our tutoring sessions is none of my business."

"If it's none of your business, then why did you punch Seifer?" Rinoa demanded.

"Seifer pissed me off, so I punched him," Squall answered simply.

"You punched Seifer because he made comments about us in the park yesterday. If you don't care about me, then why would his saying that piss you off?"

"I've had a long night, Miss Heartilly. Excuse me if I'm not up for an interrogation."

"Will you just stop avoiding the question? Why are you so afraid to answer me?"

Squall sighed. "I thought I made my feelings towards you perfectly clear. Don't flatter yourself by thinking that I broke Seifer's nose because of you."

"Then my question still remains. Why did you do it?"

"I did it because Seifer was making comments about my girlfriend. Is that what you want to hear?"

"Your girlfriend?" Rinoa repeated dumbly.

"Yes, my girlfriend. She was at the bar with me last night when Seifer started hitting on her. That's why I punched him."

"Oh," Rinoa said quietly, trying to mask her surprise and sudden jealousy at the thought of Squall's girlfriend. "You could have just told me that from the beginning."

"It was none of your business in the first place," Squall pointed out.

"Fine," Rinoa said, coming to a sudden stop, "If you hate me that much, then I'll never ask you another personal question again. When we first met, you told me that you would be nothing but a tutor to me. Well, from now on, I'm going to be nothing to you but a student. Will that make you happy?"

"Yes," Squall told her, "It will."

"Great. At least one of us will be."

Before Squall had a chance to respond, Rinoa had stormed off ahead of him. Squall sighed. This was going to be a lot more difficult than he had thought. Damn Quistis and her plans. Caraway, too. They had only served to complicate things.

"Miss Heartilly!" Squall called, racing to catch up with her. "You don't even know where we're going."

"_I'm _going home, and I really don't care where you're going," Rinoa said angrily as she continued to walk away from him.

"I hate to break it to you, but I have express wishes from your father to start your field training."

"Forget it," Rinoa said, shooting him a dirty look. "I can take care of myself."

"Your father doesn't seem to think so."

"And I suppose you agree with him?"

Squall shrugged. "Prove me wrong."

"I don't need to prove anything. I'm a-" she stopped suddenly, as if catching herself.

"You're a what?" Squall asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

Rinoa shook her head. "Nothing. Just forget about it." Once again, she began to walk away.

"Rinoa!" Squall shouted, grabbing her wrist. "Do not walk away from me!"

Squall didn't need to worry, as Rinoa suddenly found herself frozen to the spot. It wasn't the anger in Squall's voice that had stopped her dead in her tracks, but the fact that he had called her by her fast name.

"You need to listen to me," Squall told her, grabbing on to her shoulders. "Your friend could have died last night, do you realize that? Do you know how easily that could have been you?"

"But you would have saved me, right? You would have saved me like you saved Selphie."

"Dammit, I'm not always going to be there. You can't rely on me to protect you forever."

Rinoa looked up to meet his gaze, startled by the emotion burning in his eyes. All sarcastic comments were immediately forgotten when she saw how serious he was. Why would he care so much if he just viewed her as a paycheck? Did money really mean that much to him?

"Why do you care?" she whispered, desperately wanting to know the truth.

"I think you already know the answer to that question," he replied, his voice just as low as hers.

Rinoa's heart was hammering away at a volume that surely Squall could hear. "No, I don't."

"Forget it," Squall said, turning away from her. "The fact of the matter is that I am going to train you how to defend yourself. You can either listen to me and follow me right now, or you can go back to your father and explain everything to him. I have a feeling that he won't be too pleased to hear any explanation you have to offer."

Rinoa was trapped and she knew it. If she could think clearly, she might have been able to come up with a witty remark, but Squall's apparent sincerity from earlier had completely unnerved her. Instead, all she could do was sigh and reluctantly follow her tutor. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the slight, although brief, smile that graced Squall's features.

"Fine," she grumbled, "Have it your way. Although you seem to be forgetting one thing."

"Really?" Squall raised an eyebrow. "And just what might that be?"

"Weapons," Rinoa told him pointedly.

Squall shook his head. "You've underestimated me, Miss Heartilly. I'm disappointed."

Rinoa followed him as he led her over to a black BMW convertible parked across the street. Squall pulled out a set of keys, unlocked the car, and then hopped into the driver's seat.

"Get in," he instructed as he started the engine.

Rinoa did as she was told, too surprised to object. Who would have thought that Squall would drive such a flashy car? For someone who seemed to abhor attention, he sure was asking for it with a car like that.

"So you've had this parked here the whole time?" Rinoa asked, breaking the silence that had encompassed them.

Squall nodded. "And before you ask, the weapons are in the trunk."

"I figured as much," Rinoa told him stubbornly.

"Sure you did."

Rinoa sighed. "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"

Squall shrugged. "That depends."

"What do you mean, that depends?"

"I mean," Squall said slowly, "That if you stop being a pain in the ass, I just might tell you."

Rinoa's jaw dropped. "What did you just call me?"

"You heard me."

"You are impossible to get along with, do you know that?"

Squall shrugged once more. "It wouldn't be the first time I've heard that."

"Why are you acting so confident all of a sudden?" Rinoa demanded. "It's unnerving."

"Good. Maybe it will knock some sense into that thick head of yours. Life isn't a game."

"I never said it was."

"No, but you sure act like it."

Rinoa glared at him. "Did you bring me all the way out here so that you could mock me? If so, I'm leaving."

"And just how would you be doing that?" Squall asked.

Looking around her, Rinoa could see that Squall had a point. They had driven out to a secluded forest area, well away from the hustle and bustle of the city. There was no way that she could go back on foot with the monsters running around. That only left Squall's car, and while she was feeling pretty desperate, stealing it didn't seem like a very good option.

"Let's just get this over with," Rinoa said irritably as she waited for Squall to hand her her pinwheel. To her disappointment, he didn't go anywhere near the trunk.

"Don't give me that look. Before we jump into weapons, I have to teach you a few basic techniques."

"I already know the basic technique," Rinoa complained. "Contrary to what you may believe, I'm not some poor, defenseless child. I've been studying up on how to effectively use the pinwheel, and I'm ready to try out what I've learned. So hand it over."

Squall threw her a skeptical look. "You really think you're ready?"

"I know I am."

"Alright," Squall said, unlocking the trunk. "Let's see what you can do."

The moment the pinwheel was placed into her hands, Rinoa felt a surge of adrenaline rush through her. She was ready to show Squall exactly how much he had underestimated her.

Making her way deeper into the forest, Rinoa was met with the sight of a caterchipillar. _Perfect! _she thought, and immediately launched the pinwheel into its stomach. The caterchipillar began to hobble over to her, obviously angry at being disturbed, but Rinoa was ready for it. Before it could retaliate, Rinoa once again launched the pinwheel, this time aiming for its head. The caterchipillar shuddered, but still tried to best his opponent. Taking a few steps back, Rinoa quickly aimed one more time, and then it was all over. With one final gasp, the caterchipillar shuddered and then lay dead.

"Ha!" Rinoa exclaimed, throwing a triumphant look at Squall. "Peace of cake."

To her surprise, a sudden look of horror had come across Squall's face. Had she done something wrong? It had just been a caterchipillar, after all.

"Wha-"

Before the words could even leave her mouth, Rinoa found herself pinned to the ground by Squall. "Run!" he shouted. "I'll take care of this."

Looking up, Rinoa suddenly realized what was going on. A gigantic blue dragon was standing just a few feet away, and it looked anything but happy.

"I can't just leave you here!" Rinoa exclaimed.

"I said _go_! That's an order!" Squall shouted, and before Rinoa could object, he raised his gunblade and immediately charged at the creature.

What happened next seemed to pass by Rinoa in slow motion, although in reality, it couldn't have taken more than a few minutes. Squall unleashed a series of attacks against the creature, barely sopping to catch his breath. It made Rinoa suddenly realize what a skilled fighter he was, and how lucky she was to have him on her side. The blue dragon, however, also had a few tricks up its sleeve. To Rinoa's horror, its spiked tail began to batter Squall, pushing him back considerably. At that moment, Rinoa knew with absolute certainty that she had to help him. She didn't even bother to think about the danger she would be putting herself in. Instead, she quickly aimed her pinwheel and launched it straight for the creature's heart. The dragon, having sensed the attack, moved to get out of the way, so that the pinwheel had only grazed its stomach. With a roar, it trained its gaze on Rinoa, who suddenly found herself frozen to the spot.

"Oh, God," Rinoa whispered, "This is it."

The dragon raised a clawed hand and Rinoa prepared herself for the blow. However, it never came, and instead, a piercing scream echoed throughout the forest. Rinoa looked up just in time to see the dragon's eyes roll back in its head right before its body hit the ground. Behind the fallen creature stood Squall, his gunblade completely covered in blood. His eyes sought out her own, and then, before Rinoa was fully able to comprehend what she was doing, she had closed the distance between them, collapsing in his arms.

"Please don't say anything," Rinoa begged, resting her head against his shoulder. "Just...let me stay like this for awhile."

Squall knew that he shouldn't let her have her way, and that the smart thing to do would be to pull away before it was too late. However, his mind didn't want to work just then. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her petite frame, pulling her even closer to him. In that moment, he was more than happy to oblige her. After all, who needed words, anyway?


End file.
